Four Southern states top the list for lightning claims: Report

A study by State Farm reveals that four states based in the South pay the highest lightning-related claims in the country

Insurance News

By Lyle Adriano

Four states from the American South take the top four spots in State Farm’s list of states in the U.S. ranked according to the number of lightning-related claims they made in 2015.

Georgia took first place, having posted 2,718 claims in 2015. State Farm had paid the state $15,883,289.00 for such claims, and the average amount per claim clocked in at $5,843.74.

Texas came in at second, with 1,789 claims. The insurer paid consumers in the state $17,165,170.00 for such claims, and the average lightning claim made in the state hit $9,594.84—the highest record among the top four.

Louisiana was third, with 1,391 claims. State Farm paid Louisiana clients $6,368,311.00 for their lightning claims, with the average being $4,578.23.

Alabama finished fourth, with 1,264 lightning claims. $7,938,262.00 was paid to State Farm’s customers in the state, with an average cost per claim of $6,280.27.

The study also found that the months of June, July, and August are periods when lightning strikes are more frequent.

“Despite this, there are ways to reduce your chances of striking out with a lightning loss,” remarked State Farm spokesman Roszell Gadson.

The report then listed several tips on how customers could protect themselves and their properties from lightning damage. Staying indoors, avoid bodies of water, staying in areas of low elevation away from trees and the like, installing surge protectors, and so on.

Related Stories:
Daily Market Update
Daily Market Update
 

Keep up with the latest news and events

Join our mailing list, it’s free!