Lightning Strike Claims on Power Surge Protector and Home Insurance

jetdynamics

I would like to know is anybody here got the same situation as mine where in I got surge protector that supposed to protect the device connected but it didnt do the protection. Now Im claiming the damage from the Home Insurance Company and they will go after also about the Surge Protector.

I also would like to know the process when you claim a damage equipment cause by Lightning Strike that Burn my Home Ground wire and eventually trip my Breaker and damage my equipment at home.

Any inputs and suggestions is highly appreciated I already deduct the cost of deductible so I will still be getting something out of it. Would this going to be a long process?

Tyrant1919

never done it. What'd you lose if you don't mind me asking?

msteinhilber

Typically most homeowner's policies will require you take your damaged equipment to a computer repair shop along with a form that the technician will fill out. Your insurer probably doesn't care what your technical abilities are, so be prepared to have a 3rd party take a look anyways.

Once they fill out the form, they may or may not ask the technician for a replacement value. I've worked with a variety of insurers for clients in the past, the majority of them will NOT ask the technician for a replacement value as it can easily be a conflict of interest (they pad the quote hoping you buy from them).

You mentioned your insurer is going to pursue the protection guarantee on your surge protection equipment. If your insurer is going to wait until that is remedied before they reimburse you, I would expect to wait for a while. I've only worked through claims like that through Tripplite and Cyberpower but both took right around a couple months if my memory serves me correct. Have you considered just eliminating your insurer and pursuing the protection policy on your surge protection gear on your own? I can only imagine it would be quicker just solely based on the fact that you would not be relaying information to your insurer that then relays the information to the company that provides the protection policy. Then you also have the benefit of being more in the loop with what the status is. I would pursue the protection policy for any connected equipment on your own if that is the route your insurer plans to take, and just let your insurer take care of anything else damaged that they cover (such as your ground wire, etc) that is not covered by your surge protectors policy.

Be fortunate that the insured is not a business, I've worked with several insurers for business customers and those are the ones that really drag their feet on claims like that.

jetdynamics

My 52" LCD TV, Computers,Router,Network Switch approx. all in all around $4K+

tiersten

The "insurance" policy you get on the average surge protector isn't great. Most of the time they'll get out of paying you. The usual excuse is that you must use the equipment all the time on the surge protector. If you've ever used it without that protector then it could have possibly been partially damaged by that. Another one is that you've interconnected it with a device that isn't on the surge protector and therefore, again it isn't covered etc...

captobvious

When I used to live down south and a thunderstorm was coming, I'd unplug everything I didn't want to lose. Surge protected or not!

jetdynamics

I talk to the insurance company they will not wait for the claims on the surge protector, They will just go ahead and proceed whatever they will cover for my claims and they will go after with the surge protector company if they will get something out of it then , They said it can also cover the deductible.

About the surge protector it is only the TV thats connected to that one, While the computer and other stuff is on a different room. So im thinking if I will just file only on surge protector then the other stuff that got damage w/out the surge protector will not gonna be covered, So I decided just to cover everything I'll just go to the insurance company.

Another questions:To msteinhilber

Since you mentioned your work for some claims of similar to this, How would you think the insurance company would participate in helping the client on this? With regards to my TV would they usually cover first the shipping, delivery and diagnostic cost? or after the fact? the only thing Im worried is if it didnt reach the deductible then I will end up paying for it.

Paul Boz

jetdynamics wrote: »

My 52" LCD TV, Computers,Router,Network Switch approx. all in all around $4K+

god, I know that TV wasn't cheap. I bought a 52" Aquos panel in January and it was a doozie

For the amount you lost I would definitely keep pursuing whatever you have to to get your property back.

Like another poster said, I also unplug my stuff when a storm rolls through.

eMeS

For those of you that own your own homes and can make these types of modifications, I highly recommend a whole-home surge suppressor installed as close to the energy point of entry as possible. I have a device similar to this Amazon.com: Intermatic Hardwired Surge Suppressor Protector -4 Phone -2 Coaxial: Home Improvement in my circuit box.

Generally, you want one of these that protects as many of the possible paths that surges can take towards your equipment...AC, Coax, Cat5, etc...

This device does not eliminate the need for surge suppressors at the points of use.

We get a lot of electrical storms in Texas...I've know of people experiencing really bad surges that lose washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc....

MS

apena7

Aren't lightning strikes considered "an act of God?"

Be prepared to hear that excuse from your insurance provider....

Paul Boz

apena7 wrote: »

Aren't lightning strikes considered "an act of God?"

Be prepared to hear that excuse from your insurance provider....

So are tornadoes and hurricanes and that doesn't mean the insurance company doesn't have to pay up.

tiersten

Paul Boz wrote: »

So are tornadoes and hurricanes and that doesn't mean the insurance company doesn't have to pay up.

Acts of god are a fairly standard get out clause for insurance policies. Other favourites of insurance companies are terrorism and military action. I think my travel insurance has a clause for revolutions...

As for whether it applies in this case, I doubt it. The insurance company is already processing the claim. The surge protector manufacturer would have a hard time arguing against a surge caused by lightning.

msteinhilber

jetdynamics wrote: »

Another questions:To msteinhilber

Since you mentioned your work for some claims of similar to this, How would you think the insurance company would participate in helping the client on this? With regards to my TV would they usually cover first the shipping, delivery and diagnostic cost? or after the fact? the only thing Im worried is if it didnt reach the deductible then I will end up paying for it.

I've only worked with businesses and a handful of end users and have only worked with networking gear, servers, and workstations as well as monitors which were being included on a claim. In all instances I either went out to the customers location or in the case of the individual end user (i.e. home user) they brought their equipment to me. From there I just filled out the required paperwork along with my diagnosis. I would typically charge a diagnostics fee for these services and the insurance companies usually always covered that cost. I had a couple companies that demanded a 100% guarantee "yes this was for sure lightning damage" which I would never agree to, because you really cannot be 100% assured it's lightning damage - I would always fill out "the diagnosis is consistent with what the symptoms of a lighting strike could be" or similar.

Regarding your deductible, I don't see what there is to worry about there. You are going to be paying your deductible regardless of the outcome. If you have enough failed equipment to exceed the deductible then your insurance company will give you a check for the amount of the loss (as determined by your insurance company more than likely) plus any diagnostics required to ascertain the items were likely caused by lighting (should your insurance company require that as well as cover that cost). If your total loss is less than your deductible, then your insurance company will not give you a payout and you would not be out anything except for the diagnostics if you were required to take your equipment somewhere to verify it. Judging by what you listed that you lost, I highly doubt you will have less than your deductible when it's all added up unless you have absolutely horrid coverage.

jetdynamics

Thanks for the reply I would like to share this to everybody for those who own there home, Be sure to check your home insurance coverage that you are covered if there's a lightning strike.

The Electrician that went to my house check the Ground thats connected to the meter and when he open it up, Its totally burn out the color of copper from brown to black, I keep it as evidence to what happen and took picture while the guy is fixing the issue. The guy also suggest to me to have that home surge protection I would probably getting that as part of my home protection.

With regards to Insurance company I will let them cover the cost of diagnostic since they requiring it and I already did send them the power surge protector where My TV is connected so they will go after the surge protector to claim what supposed to be due for the damage caused.