[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by jrref

The cost to install a lightning protection system is relatively inexpensive compared to the value of your home and the cost to repair or replace it if it ever gets struck and burns down. Especially if you are a snow bird.

...

So, If you want to take your chances, remember these people below felt the same and and lost the gamble. Every home here in the Villages should have Lightning and surge protection given we live in the lightning capital of the USA. If your home gets hit by lightning, it will be a life changing event for you and your family.

That's a rather hard sell.

Every home in the US would benefit from a LPS if that home happened to be struck by lightning, but what are the real odds of that? Those five pictures looked pretty bad, were they all from this year? All from the last 12 months? If you zoomed out a few times in google maps would you even be able to find those five rooftops?

I think of an LPS like a seatbelt, motorcycle helmet, travel insurance, or extended warranty: I have never benefited from any of these but I would kick myself if I needed one and didn't have it.

The odds are that a particular home will never be hit by lightning
The odds of a home being hit by lightning in Florida are a bit higher than most of the rest of the country
Lightning *does* hit homes and mine could be the next to be hit
My insurance will/should cover the loss
My insurance has a deductible which might be higher than the cost of an LPS
While the loss will/should be covered, there is a cost for the aggravation and inconvenience of fixing and replacing
I don't have an LPS now but am strongly considering one after I have my roof replaced

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

That's a rather hard sell.

The key word is SELL.

Someone on commission??

[jrref]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

That's a rather hard sell.

Every home in the US would benefit from a LPS if that home happened to be struck by lightning, but what are the real odds of that? Those five pictures looked pretty bad, were they all from this year? All from the last 12 months? If you zoomed out a few times in google maps would you even be able to find those five rooftops?

I think of an LPS like a seatbelt, motorcycle helmet, travel insurance, or extended warranty: I have never benefited from any of these but I would kick myself if I needed one and didn't have it.

The odds are that a particular home will never be hit by lightning
The odds of a home being hit by lightning in Florida are a bit higher than most of the rest of the country
Lightning *does* hit homes and mine could be the next to be hit
My insurance will/should cover the loss
My insurance has a deductible which might be higher than the cost of an LPS
While the loss will/should be covered, there is a cost for the aggravation and inconvenience of fixing and replacing
I don't have an LPS now but am strongly considering one after I have my roof replaced

So, you are correct, every home in the country doesn't need to have a lightning protection system since the chances are very, very low but here in central Florida the chances are actually significantly higher which is why considering getting a LPS system is more important.

Those pictures were of the homes destroyed last year here in the Villages. Normally we see about one or two strikes per year here in the Villages while last year we had six homes destroyed. There were other strikes but these were the ones with a significant fire.

[jrref]

This is a must read from the Villages News. It demonstrates the unfortunate reality of a catastrophic fire in your home. In this case a lightning strike that occurred here in the Villages last year. This is why for a couple of thousand dollars, you may want to consider installing a lightning protection system which could prevent and or mitigate a situation like the one below from happening since we live in the lightning capital of the USA here in Florida. Our hearts go out to this couple since the strike occurred only months after they purchased their home and it looks like its going to be 2 years before they are able to return.

>>>>
Insurance headaches add to woes after lightning strike in The Villages

Insurance headaches have added to a couple’s woes after a lightning strike nearly a year ago at their home in The Villages.

A bolt of lightning punched a hole in the roof and ignited a blaze this past July at the home of Charles and Linda Formica at 2269 Foggy Brook Loop in the Village of St. Charles.


Their misfortune was compounded when their insurance company came up short when they explored rebuilding their home.


Charles Formica testified at a deed compliance hearing Monday at the District Office at Brownwood about the challenges they have faced since the fire.

“We immediately contacted our insurance company and started a claim,” Formica said.


Lightning ignited a fire in July 2024 at this home at 2269 Foggy Brook Loop in the Village of St. Charles.
Over the next few months, he went back and forth with the insurance company, which had tried to declare the home was not a total loss.

“We were standing in our house looking at the sky,” Formica said.


Eventually, the insurance company agreed the home met the definition of a total loss. However, then there was a certain amount of “depreciation” debated with the insurer.


The couple paid $775,000 for their home in 2024, just a few short months before the fire. When the insurance company finally agreed to cut a check, it was $234,000 short of the builder’s quote to reconstruct a new home on the fire-ravaged site.


The Formicas are scheduled to take their reconstruction plan before the Architectural Review Committee on June 11. They hope that the rebuild can begin immediately after they secure the blessing of the ARC.

Their builder has told them that the project will take 12 months. Community Standards had recommended giving the couple six months to see the project to fruition.

“Obviously, it’s been a struggle,” said Special Master Terry Neal. “I know you probably would like to get back into your house.”

She granted the Formicas nine months for the rebuild. She pointed out that if the couple needs more time, they can appeal to the Community Development District 8 Board of Supervisors. They could also ask the board to waive any fines that might be imposed if they exceed the nine-month limit.

Two CDD 8 supervisors, Wayne Anderson and Duane Johnson, were in the audience at the deed compliance hearing.

In neighboring Community Development District 9, supervisors have struggled in recent years with fire-ravaged homes where reconstruction was painfully slow to begin. Neighbors regularly spoke out at CDD 9 meetings to express their fear and frustration with living near a burned-out carcass of a home.
<<<<

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by jrref

This is a must read from the Villages News.
<<<<

The issue is not lightning, flood, space heater, stove fire, electric car charging, etc., the issue is..........people do not read their insurance policies until it's too late.

[Altavia]

Very sad indeed.

It typically takes 2-3 years here to process insurance, get permits, order materials and construct to rebuild after a fire.

It's a shame there isn't a builder who knows how to build a home in less than three months who could step in to help in community disasters.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

The issue is not lightning, flood, space heater, stove fire, electric car charging, etc., the issue is..........people do not read their insurance policies until it's too late.

That's true but I can tell you from first hand experience talking to many in a similar situation say the insurance companies just don't want to pay so they "nickle and dime" you until you submit.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by jrref

That's true but I can tell you from first hand experience talking to many in a similar situation say the insurance companies just don't want to pay so they "nickle and dime" you until you submit.

Again, wrong insurance company &/or not submitted correctly.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Again, wrong insurance company &/or not submitted correctly.

I don't mean to disagree with you and I'm sure there are exceptions but being an engineer on the Villages Lightning Study group, we interview many of these cases and in all cases that we have followed, everyone spoke about a significant effort dealing with the insurance company and at least a year until they were able to go back and live in their home. Definetly a life changing experience. In the case above, they had an unusually difficult time and you have to remember, even if you are able to go through the insurance process quickly, there aren't builders waiting around to quickly start re-building your home.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by jrref

I don't mean to disagree with you and I'm sure there are exceptions but being an engineer on the Villages Lightning Study group, we interview many of these cases and in all cases that we have followed, everyone spoke about a significant effort dealing with the insurance company and at least a year until they were able to go back and live in their home. Definetly a life changing experience. In the case above, they had an unusually difficult time and you have to remember, even if you are able to go through the insurance process quickly, there aren't builders waiting around to quickly start re-building your home.

No problem with disagreeing on ToTV.

If documentation is completed correctly, stats from NAIC show claims are paid timely.....the issues of delays with funding rests with the policyholders. I assume the information is still out there some where.

No surprise it might take a year to get back in the house. Bids & removal of old house and even concrete. Bids, approvals & construction of new. Contractors are not sitting around and able to start a project at the drop of the hat.

In other insurance threads I'm a preacher of reading policies, and recommend looking at Chubb Insurance. Couple Chubb examples: I had a "smaller" claim for $75k. Did paperwork and had a direct deposit within 72 hours with an email stating, if you need more, you have a surprise, let us know. A neighbor had a complete lightning loss. Before the neighbor completed the paperwork, Chubb sent them a check for $25k for temp living expenses. & then very positive process for the claim itself.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

No problem with disagreeing on ToTV.

If documentation is completed correctly, stats from NAIC show claims are paid timely.....the issues of delays with funding rests with the policyholders. I assume the information is still out there some where.

No surprise it might take a year to get back in the house. Bids & removal of old house and even concrete. Bids, approvals & construction of new. Contractors are not sitting around and able to start a project at the drop of the hat.

In other insurance threads I'm a preacher of reading policies, and recommend looking at Chubb Insurance. Couple Chubb examples: I had a "smaller" claim for $75k. Did paperwork and had a direct deposit within 72 hours with an email stating, if you need more, you have a surprise, let us know. A neighbor had a complete lightning loss. Before the neighbor completed the paperwork, Chubb sent them a check for $25k for temp living expenses. & then very positive process for the claim itself.

Are these cases here in the Villages and fairly recent? If so, we would like to talk to these people to get some insight to help others since all we have seen is the exact opposite. Granted, insurance instantly got the remediation folks out there and gave the homeowner money to relocate and live but the whole experience to rebuild the home seemed to be arduous. I can't believe all six homes destroyed just last year had homeowners who didn't know what they were doing with their insurance but maybe. But I agree, some people are under insured and some don't have replacement value on the personal property, etc, and some want damage like the roof re-done vs repair so I agree you need to read and understand your insurance vs just going with the lowest quote. But yours and your friends experience seem to indicate it was no big deal so in your case why spend any money on a lightning protection system and even any surge protection if the insurance is going to come right in and rebuild your home quickly and with very little effort from the homeowner? It may be a plus since you can get everything new?

[Craig Vernon]

Originally Posted by Altavia

In addition, particularly for new homebuyers, it is crucial to consider the potential risk of metal CSST gas lines being installed in the attic.

Manufacturers of the gas lines recommend the installation of lightening mitigation systems to mitigate the lightening strike risks associated with attic CSST gas lines in Florida.

Risk Of Lightning-Based Fires With CSST Gas Lines

CSST (corrugated stainless-steel tubing) requires bonding by code specifically for lightning mitigation. Further new building codes require bonding of all metal surfaces for the same purpose. Just FYI.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by Craig Vernon

CSST (corrugated stainless-steel tubing) requires bonding by code specifically for lightning mitigation. Further new building codes require bonding of all metal surfaces for the same purpose. Just FYI.

Right, we go over CSST in our presentations and although it has to be specially grounded a Lightning Protection system is really the only way to redeuce the chances of an issue with it when lightning strikes your home.

Even in the new areas of the Villages where they upgraded the CSST, the manufacturer of the newer CSST still says in writing in their literature that if you live in Floriday, Texas and some other states you should consult with a lightning protection company when you have their product installed in your home.

[Altavia]

Originally Posted by jrref

Are these cases here in the Villages and fairly recent? If so, we would like to talk to these people to get some insight to help others since all we have seen is the exact opposite. Granted, insurance instantly got the remediation folks out there and gave the homeowner money to relocate and live but the whole experience to rebuild the home seemed to be arduous. I can't believe all six homes destroyed just last year had homeowners who didn't know what they were doing with their insurance but maybe. But I agree, some people are under insured and some don't have replacement value on the personal property, etc, and some want damage like the roof re-done vs repair so I agree you need to read and understand your insurance vs just going with the lowest quote. But yours and your friends experience seem to indicate it was no big deal so in your case why spend any money on a lightning protection system and even any surge protection if the insurance is going to come right in and rebuild your home quickly and with very little effort from the homeowner? It may be a plus since you can get everything new?

Previously to the Villages living in the middle west for over 50 yrs, I've experienced a home damaged with roof lost to a tornado, severe hail damage, and three instances of multiple electronics/appliances
in damaged by nearby/adjacent lightening strike.

The insurance companies in all cases did everything possible to dispute, drag out, minimize and delay payment. In all case it took months of my time to make things whole again.

So at this point I'll do everything reasonably possible to minimize the risk of ever dealing with an insurance adjuster again.

That includes having an LPS and multiple layers of surge supression on our Florida home that has gas lines on the attic.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by jrref

The cost to install a lightning protection system is relatively inexpensive compared to the value of your home and the cost to repair or replace it if it ever gets struck and burns down. Especially if you are a snow bird.

From what we have seen, if you are home when your house gets struck and you call the fire department ASAP, there is a good chance they will be able to save your home. But if you are away, then you are relying on your neighbors to notice the fire and call the fire department and by then it's usually too late and the fire most likely will burn down your home.

At the fire at Winiford recently, it was interesting in the Villages News article, they specifically said the fire department got there and prevented the huge fire from spreading to adjacent homes. This meant by the time they got there the house was lost and they focused on collateral damage. That's my interpretation from that comment in the article.

So, If you want to take your chances, remember these people below felt the same and and lost the gamble. Every home here in the Villages should have Lightning and surge protection given we live in the lightning capital of the USA. If your home gets hit by lightning, it will be a life changing event for you and your family.

Just wondering, if it was so critical, why would the developer not have installed it in the first place? It’s not like they don’t know the weather in TV…