Triple-I: Lightning Caused $1.65 Billion in US Homeowners Claim Payouts in 2025; Average Cost Per Claim Surges Nearly 43%

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Florida, California and Texas Again Among Top States for Lightning Losses

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
U.S. insurers paid an estimated $1.65 billion in lightning-related homeowners insurance claims in 2025, a 59% increase from the $1.04 billion paid in 2024, according to the latest figures from the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I).

The total number of lightning-caused claims also rose in 2025, increasing 11.6% to 61,986 claims from 55,537 the prior year. While the number of claims increased modestly, the average cost per claim surged 42.8% to $26,616, reflecting higher rebuilding and repair costs, inflation-driven increases in labor and materials expenses, and the growing value of increasingly sophisticated home electronics and connected devices.

Florida, California and Texas led the nation in the number of lightning-related homeowners insurance claims. Texas recorded the highest average cost per claim among the top states at $60,382 per claim.

“The sharp increase in average claim costs reflects broader trends affecting homeowners across the country, including rising reconstruction costs, inflation, the growing value of property and technology inside the home, as well as litigation abuse,” said Triple-I CEO Sean Kevelighan. “These trends are making lightning-related losses more expensive and underscore the importance of preparedness and resilience.”

In recognition of National Lightning Safety Awareness Week (June 21-27), Triple-I analyzed national insurance claims data and estimated that:

The average cost per lightning claim has increased 146.9% since 2017, rising from $10,781 to $26,616.
The total value of lightning-related homeowners insurance claims reached $1.65 billion in 2025, the highest level since 2020.
More than half of all lightning claims originated from the top 10 states.

“Lightning can cause extensive damage beyond a direct strike,” said State Farm’s Dave Phillips. “Power surges generated by lightning can damage electrical systems, appliances, computers and smart-home technologies. Homeowners should take proactive steps to protect their property through surge protection, regular maintenance and preparedness planning.”

State Farm is the largest writer of homeowners insurance in the United States, with direct premiums written of more than $39 billion in 2025.

Damage caused by lightning, such as fire, is covered by standard homeowners, condo, renters and business insurance policies. Some homeowners policies also provide coverage for power surges that are the direct result of a lightning strike.

Lightning can cause damage in a variety of ways, including fires, power surges and damage to electrical systems, appliances and other property. When a lightning event results in significant structural damage or a fire, losses can extend beyond repairs to include personal property replacement, temporary living expenses, debris removal and reconstruction costs.

The financial impact of lightning may be greater than reflected in lightning-specific claims data. When a lightning strike causes a fire, for example, the resulting insurance claim may be classified as a fire loss rather than a lightning loss, making it more difficult to fully measure lightning's contribution to insured property damage. Lightning is also a well-known source of wildfire ignition in the West. California's historic 2020 lightning siege sparked hundreds of wildfires that burned millions of acres and destroyed thousands of structures, illustrating how a single weather event can trigger losses that may extend beyond those captured in lightning-specific claims statistics.

Florida Generates Most Lightning-Related Claims

Florida was the leading state for lightning-related homeowners insurance claims in 2025, with 5,167 claims. Texas ranked third in claim frequency but generated the highest total insured losses at nearly $253 million and the highest average cost per claim at $60,382.

The Lightning Protection Institute (LPI) noted that lightning strikes can occur at an astonishing 100 times per second.

“The sharp rise in lightning-related losses serves as a reminder that lightning protection is an investment in resilience,” said Tim Harger, executive director of LPI. “Whether it's a family home, a business, or critical infrastructure, the best time to protect against lightning damage is before a storm arrives. Properly installed lightning protection and surge protection systems can significantly reduce risk and help keep people, property, and operations safe.”

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About the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I)

Since 1960, the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I®) has been the trusted voice of risk and insurance, delivering unique, data-driven insights to educate, elevate and connect consumers, industry professionals, policymakers, and the media. An affiliate of The Institutes, Triple-I represents a diverse membership accounting for nearly 50% of all U.S. property/casualty premiums written. Our members include mutual and stock companies, personal and commercial lines, primary insurers and reinsurers – serving regional, national and global markets.

About The Institutes

The Institutes® are a not-for-profit comprised of diverse affiliates that educate, elevate, and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by The Institutes’ 21 affiliated business units, people and organizations are empowered to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting, and preventing losses to create a more resilient world.