"I woke last night to the sound of thunder, How far off I sat and wondered..."
LIGHTNING 101 Lightning Insurance Claims
Presented By: George Hodge C.F.E.I. Hodge Services Incorporated HodgeServices.com
State of Wyoming Course ID # 8015 3 Credit Hours
INSURANCE INDUSTRY REPORTS.
During the 5 year period 1992-1996, we paid out $1.7 billion in lightning-related claims. This was 8.7% of total claims and 3.8% of dollar losses. – St. Paul Ins. Co. Each year we have about 307,000 claims from lightning, amounting to loss reimbursements of some $332 million. – State Farm Insurance Co. Five percent of all insurance claims are lightningrelated, amounting to over $1 billion per year. – Insurance
Information Institute, NY, Press Release 1989.
On annual average, we pay out about 3-4% of our claims as a result of lightning. Factory Mutual Companies.
Lightning Injuries
• Across the United States, most lightning casualties occur between 12 noon and 4 pm local time.
(Curran et al 1997)
• When people are mortally wounded by a lightning flash, 91% of the time it is only 1 person that is killed. (Curran et al
1997).
• On a related topic, most of the time, when lightning hits the ground and causes casualties to people, usually only 1 person is affected.
(Holle et al 1996)
What is Lightning?
Lightning discharges can be classified into two major types: CG= Cloud to ground CC= Cloud to cloud Sub types include: IC= Intra cloud CA= Cloud to air CW= Cloud to water
Cloud to ground (CG) discharges.
These discharges have at least one channel connecting the cloud to the ground [CG; or cloud to water (CW)].
Cloud to Cloud (CC) discharges.
Cloud discharges that have NO channel to ground. These cloud discharges are, in turn, classified as in-cloud (IC), cloud to air (CA), and cloud to cloud (CC).
Now a third type:
• CS = Cloud to Space
1. Blue jets 2. Red Sprites 3. Elves
Lightning Facts:
Number of thunderstorms occurring at any given moment - 2000 • Number of lightning strikes every second - 100
• Number of lightning strikes per day - 8 Million
• Number of thunderstorms in the USA per year - 20 Million • Number of VOLTS in a lightning flash - 30 million
Lightning Facts:
• Number of AMPS in a lightning flash - between 10,000 and 200,000 • The average lightning flash would light a 100 watt light bulb for 3 months • Lightning has been documented to strike over 25 miles away from the actual thunderstorm
Lightning Facts
• A typical lightning flash lasts about a quarter of a second and consists of 3 or 4 individual discharges called strokes. Each stroke lasts a few ten thousandths of a second, although the visual appearance is longer. The "flicker" sometimes observed in lightning is due to seeing the actual strokes making up the flash.
Lightning Facts
• Thunder is formed from the shock wave formed by the rapid heating of the air along the path of the return stroke, which reaches some 30,000 degrees K. The sound of thunder varies depending on how far you are from the various parts of the stroke. The sound from a part of the stroke farther away will get to you later and be fainter.
Lightning Facts
• A lightning stroke begins with a faint predischarge, called the leader, which goes from the cloud to the ground. The leader establishes a path for the highly luminous return stroke (what you really see) which propagates from the ground up to the cloud. The first stroke of a flash is usually preceded by a "stepped leader", so called because it appears to progress in discrete steps (about 100 segments, each 50 m long) from cloud to ground. The subsequent strokes are preceded by a "dart leader" which smoothly follows the path of the previous return stroke (and is about 10 times faster).
What causes lightning? Lightning originates around 15,000 to 25,000 feet above sea level when raindrops are carried upward until some of them convert to ice. For reasons that are not widely agreed upon, a cloud-to-ground lightning flash originates in this mixed water and ice region. The charge then moves downward in 50-yard sections called step leaders. It keeps moving toward the ground in these steps and produces a channel along which charge is deposited. Eventually, it encounters something on the ground that is a good connection. The circuit is complete at that time, and the charge is lowered from cloud to ground. The flow of charge (current) produces a luminosity that is very much brighter than the part that came down. This entire event usually takes less than half a second.
Where does lightning usually strike? Lightning comes from a parent cumulonimbus cloud. These thunderstorm clouds are formed wherever there is enough upward motion, instability in the vertical, and moisture to produce a deep cloud that reaches up to levels somewhat colder than freezing.
These conditions are most often met in summer. In general, the US mainland has a decreasing amount of lightning toward the northwest. Over the entire year, the highest frequency of cloud-to-ground lightning is in Florida between Tampa and Orlando. This is due to the presence, on many days during the year, of a large moisture content in the atmosphere at low levels (below 5,000 feet), as well as high surface temperatures that produce strong sea breezes along the Florida coasts. The western mountains of the US also produce strong upward motions and contribute to frequent cloud-to-ground lightning. There are also high frequencies along the Gulf of Mexico coast westward to Texas, the Atlantic coast in the southeast US, and inland from the Gulf. Regions along the Pacific west coast have the least cloud-toground lightning.
Representative Stepped Leader
Range
Length of Step
Time interval between steps Average Velocity of propagation of stepped leader Charge deposited on stepped-leader channel Dart Leader Velocity of Propagation Charge deposited on dart-leader channel Return Stroke Velocity of propagation Current rate of increase Time to peak current Peak Current Time to half of peak current Charge transferred (excluding continuing current) Channel Length Energy dissipated Lightning Flash Number of strokes per flash Time interval between strokes Time duration of flash Charge transferred including continuing current
50 m
50 uSec 150 km/sec 5C
3 - 200 m
30 - 125 uSec 100 - 2600 km/sec 3 - 20 C
2000 km/sec 1C
1000 - 21,000 km/sec 0.2 - 6 C
80,000 km/sec 10 kA/uSec 2 uSec 10-20 kA 40 uSec 2.5 C 5 km 100 kJ/meter
20,000 - 160,000 km/sec <1 - >80 kA/uSec <1 - 30 uSec -110 kA 10-250 uSec 0.2 - 20 C 2 - 14 km
3-4 40 msec 0.2 sec 25 C
1 - 26 3 - 100 mSec 0.01 0 2 sec 3 - 90 C
World
• Lightning Capital of the World:
– The Tropical regions across Africa and South America. – Why? Lightning storms typically occur in these warm humid locations many days of the year.
United States • Lightning Capital of the United States:
1. Florida 2. Colorado
–
In an average year, over 22 million cloud to ground lightning flashes hit the contiguous United States and surrounding coastal waters.
(R. Holle/NSSL, personal communication).
Colorado
• In a study in the Denver, Colorado area, it was found 1 out of every 52 lightning flash results in an insurance claim, It is estimated nationwide, that 1 claim is filed for every 57 Cloud to Ground (CG) lightning flashes. (Holle et al, 1996)
• In a study of Colorado lightning storms, it was found that the first lightning strike usually occurs in the mountains, around 11 am MDT. (Lopez et. al., 1990)
Colorado
• In a 1 year study of Northeast Colorado lightning storms, it was found that the lightning activity on a day to day basis varied quite extensively, Some days had some flashes, while other days had many flashes. 123,663 flashes were counted during this year
•
The maximum amount of lightning occurs between 4 and 5 pm MST (21%). As with previous studies, the lightning normally begins around 11am (~32% of the time). Very little lightning occurred between 3am and 11 am.
NLDN
National Lightning Detection Network
Instant Lightning Data
• https://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/
RED FLAGS
A BLUEPRINT TO FRAUD
Red Flags
• No one home at the time of the failure.
– Insured arrives home to find things not working. – Not able to give time of occurrence. – Neighbors unable to confirm lightning in the area.
• Items were not left “ON” but were plugged in.
– The AC power to non remote items is interrupted by the power switch. – Remote controlled items have a standby power supply that remains “on” all the time the unit is plugged in.
RED FLAGS
• Only high dollar items are • The extended warranty insurance policy. involved in the claim.
– – – – – – – Big Screen Television Computers Well Pumps HVAC Equipment Older Appliances Home Theater Equipment Satellite Systems – The items damaged are old or near their life expectancy – 6-10 year old Big Screen TV’s – Older computers – Rusted out washers and dryers – Worn out well pumps
Red Flags
• No Collateral Damage
– – – – – – – – Telephone equipment Door bell transformer Furnace transformer Garage door opener (remote receiver) Plug in type power supplies Sprinkler system / Outdoor low voltage systems Alarm system No neighbors with damage
Red Flags
• No physical damage to structure
– No attachment point – No arc or flash damage visible on down spouts, flue pipes, antennas, or other metal objects – No limb damage in tall trees around home
Red Flags
• • • • Underground utilities Home not the high point in the area Home not in the open (surrounded by trees) Time of the failure (Morning or early afternoon [Denver]) • Time of season
Red Flags
• Continuing claims after the initial payout • Additional damage found after the thunderstorm season or into next season. • Repair technicians said “It must have been lightning damage” • Unwilling to have items looked at • Items not available for inspection
– Well pumps dropped down well – Electronics already replaced
GREEN FLAGS
• • • • Telephone damage Garage door opener damage Rainbows in color TV's or monitors (EMP) Physical damage to home or trees
Telephone Equipment
Repair Company Fraud
• A review of case files has shown that 90% of lightning claims originate from about 5% of the total repair companies in a given area.
• Once a repair company has success in unchallenged repair estimates, they will return for the easy money over and over.
– A high repair estimate is easy to sell to their client if the insurance company is paying the tab.
• In a recent NICB sting operation, it was found that when an electronic item was found dead (without power) that the cause was always (100%) stated to be lightning.
– In fact the only failure was an open 35 cent line fuse in each item. – The repair estimates on these items ranged from $95 to over $250.
• During the hay-day of back yard satellite systems, the sale of new systems to 24 customers was paid for in total by three insurance carriers to 1 satellite company.
– The average cost for each system was $2,900, for a total pay out of $69,000.
Questions To Ask
• Date and time of strike (for NLDN info)
• Was strike witnessed (if so, where did it hit)
• Was it raining before, during, or after the strike damage occurred • Did the power go out • When and how did you first notice the damage • Was the fire department called
How does lightning cause damage?
1. Current flow through object from direct to antenna, telephone, or power cable.
2. Spike voltage from indirect strike near antenna, telephone, or power cable. (EMP) 3. Voltage surge caused by utility strike in area.
Damage Path
LIGHTNING STRIKE
ANTENNA
AC CORD
GROUND
GROUND
What is necessary for the damage to occur?
• A current path through the unit.
– Line-to-ground
• The unit must be “ON” or have a remote always “ON” section.
– The power switch gap will not pass the current or voltage to the rest of the unit unless the strike is catastrophic in nature, such as a direct strike to the energized power source.
• The unit must communicate directly to the outside world.
– Battery powered units such as portable phones or laptop computers DO NOT communicate directly.
Home Entertainment
• • • • • • • Big Screen Televisions Televisions Home Theater Equipment Stereo Equipment VCR’S DVD Players CD players
Computers
• • • • • • Power supplies UPS Printers Scanners Modems DSL at home Ethernet
Antenna Systems
• • • • • CATV TVRO MATV DBS CCTV
Home Automation
• Integrated systems
– – – – – – – HVAC Lighting systems Hot tub / Spa Audio / Video Home theater Security Telephone
WELL PUMPS
Most well motors in service today are internally protected from lightning damage Lightning will not favor a well motor as a target
Lightning charge will displace laterally across the grounds surface and will not go deep
Other damage such as rust and/or age wear & tear cause 99% of all well motor failures
Crop Irrigation Equipment
Tower controllers are subject to lightning damage Pumps are not ( same as for well pumps)
Items not prone to lightning damage
• • • • • • • Camcorders Portable phones Cell phones Laptop computers Portable CD players Portable Stereos Cameras (digital) • • • • • • • Refrigerator s Freezers Washers Dryers Dishwashers Trash Compactors. HVAC equipment
Utility Protection
• Electric utility companies spend millions of dollars a year to prevent damage to their systems. Their protection systems offer protection to the customer as well. Except for localized strikes.
CONTACT INFORMATION George Hodge PO Box 270623 Littleton, Colorado 80127-0011 303-979-2999 720-244-7973 Cell
g.hodge@HodgeServices.com http://HodgeServices.com
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