Lightning Just Struck My Home. Now What?
When your home gets struck by lightning, it can damage much of the electrical work throughout the home and even cause electrical hazards. These can deem your home unsafe for you and your loved ones. As a public claims adjuster in Hillsborough County, we help our homeowners who have suffered electrical damage due to lightning get the help they need to restore their home back to normal. There are a few actions you need to take to prevent additional damages and injury if your home has been struck by lightning.
Evacuate the Home
The first thing you will want to do is get you and your loved ones to safety. This requires leaving your home and seeking safe shelter, preferably at a nearby neighbor's home. This will help you stay close to your home to meet emergency responders, and it will also keep you safe from the storm outside. You need to be sure to leave your home in case there are any electrical hazards that pose a threat to your safety.
Call 911
No matter what, you should always call the emergency services to alert them that lightning has struck your home. This will help them to be aware of any potential dangers this may pose to the community, like power surges. They will also ask you questions so you can immediately assess the hazards in your own home and whether they will need to come out or not.
Call the Fire Department
Once you call 911, they will likely contact the fire department for you, but this is the main service you will need after lightning strikes your home. The fire department will immediately come to your home to inspect for any damages. Technology, like thermal imaging cameras, will be able to see inside your walls to detect any heat or determine if fires have already started. They will then be able to quickly implement any preventative measures needed.
Assess Damages and Call the Insurance
Once the damages are assessed, you may need to call your insurance to report the incident. This will likely involve making a claim in order to help pay for the repairs needed to your home. Your insurance company will send out an agent to help evaluate the damages and estimate the cost of repairs, and they will also help you to file your claim and assist you through the entire process.
When your home is struck by lightning, take these immediate actions to keep your home and loved ones safe. After you assess the damages and determine that they will need extensive repairs, you'll want to call a public claims adjuster in Hillsborough County to help you evaluate the damages and work to get you the insurance money that you deserve. Contact us today to ask about how we can help you.
