Lightning strike on house during charging

[AZBill]

New charging fear unlocked! We get crazy lightning storms out here in AZ, never once thought about the car getting zapped.

I also live in AZ, and my circuit breaker panel has to be replaced (25 years old with several circuit breakers tripping and over heating). I elected to add on a surge protector, it is likely well worth the cost. One electrician told me they will be required by code, starting next year.

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[ChasingCoral]

So moral of the story, according to ChatGPT, your home insurance policy will likely specifically exclude your vehicle.

Probably correct. The car is covered by your auto policy. However the charger it was plugged into may be covered by your home policy but will need excluded by your auto policy, even if Ford-branded and Ford paid to install it.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

Probably correct. The car is covered by your auto policy. However the charger it was plugged into may be covered by your home policy but will need excluded by your auto policy, even if Ford-branded and Ford paid to install it.

Your description of how the charger would be handled makes sense. We learn new things everyday.

 

[shelbycobra]

Other than it won't charge, Is the car reporting any faults?

HI GT, No car runs fine otherwise. The dealer where I purchased the car now has it (45 miles away) The nearby Ford dealer would not touch it.

 

[shelbycobra]

I hope it's a car insurance claim, not homeowners. Because otherwise the insurance companies will try to raise homeowners rates if you have an EV or charger in the garage. S*** is expensive enough. The damage is to the car, not the house.

HI Mach Lee. It is a car insurance claim. The GrizzlE box is homeowners. I have to say everyone that has come by the house has been excellent minus trying to get hold of someone at Xfinity.

 

[shelbycobra]

Ah, great follow-up — and this is where it gets juicy from an insurance perspective.





If your car was plugged in and charging when lightning struck your home, it introduces a gray area — but unfortunately, it still doesn’t mean homeowners insurance will cover the car itself.





Here’s the deal, broken down clearly (minus sarcasm… for now):














? If the Car Was Plugged In:

• Even if the lightning strike came through the home’s electrical system and fried your car’s battery or electronics while it was charging, the damage is still considered part of the car — and thus should be covered under your auto insurance comprehensive coverage.
• Homeowners insurance may cover:
  • The EV charger or charging station if it was damaged.
  • Electrical wiring in the house leading to the charger.
  • Power surges affecting household items.
• 
  
• But not:
  ? The car’s battery
  ? Onboard electronics
  ? The vehicle itself

Why? Because insurance companies love fine print, and in most homeowners policies, motor vehicles are explicitly excluded, even if plugged in.














? TL;DR:








The fact that your car was plugged in does not shift the claim to homeowners insurance.


It’s still an auto insurance (comprehensive coverage) matter.


Your house insurer only cares about what’s on their side of the plug.





Let me know if you’d like a version of this explained to forum members still out there blaming the utility company.

According to my insurance agent and the adjustor that visted this morning, the car charging int he garage is covered by auto insurance but it will not affect the rates. The Charger is covered under home owners

 

[shelbycobra]

HI Everyone. Thanks for all the responses and the battle of which insurance company pays. Here is what has happened in the last 24 hr. Insurance adjuster for the car came and took a picture. Of course there is no visible damage as it won't charge. He did say that he just marks a lot of electric cars as totaled as the damage gets way to expensive to fix. My local Ford dealer (Franklin Ford)would not take the car as it's a problem they have a hard time dealing with. I drove to the purchasing dealer(Colonial Ford in Plymouth) about 45 minutes away and they were great. The suggestion of the whole house circuit protection has been noted and it will be done. Now to get the rest of the house back up and running............

 

[GreaseMonkey]

According to my insurance agent and the adjustor that visted this morning, the car charging int he garage is covered by auto insurance but it will not affect the rates. The Charger is covered under home owners

Makes sense. Thanks for confirming.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

HI Everyone. Thanks for all the responses and the battle of which insurance company pays. Here is what has happened in the last 24 hr. Insurance adjuster for the car came and took a picture. Of course there is no visible damage as it won't charge. He did say that he just marks a lot of electric cars as totaled as the damage gets way to expensive to fix. My local Ford dealer (Franklin Ford)would not take the car as it's a problem they have a hard time dealing with. I drove to the purchasing dealer(Colonial Ford in Plymouth) about 45 minutes away and they were great. The suggestion of the whole house circuit protection has been noted and it will be done. Now to get the rest of the house back up and running............

I’m not surprised they would mark the EV a total loss, especially if it got hit directly by lightening. I hope in this case the damage is limited to the onboard charger. All the best.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Given recent performance, I think it was the Forum that lightning struck

 

[music_cities]

I've known people who won't take a shower during a thunderstorm and knew one who wouldn't even sit on the toilet.

If you're one of those folks, don't charge in the thunderstorm either.

I'm too short to worry about the water level in the toilet. But I forgot about the shower rule.

 

[OH2AZ2OH]

I remember being told that you were safer inside your vehicle during a thunderstorm because the vehicle is not grounded due to rubber tires and would not attract lightning. I guess that isn't true.

You *are* safer in the car, but not because of the tires. You are safer in your vehicle because it is a metal cage around you that is pretty close to the ground. The electricity will flow around you and jump to the ground without traveling through you. The bolt has already traveled through a few miles of air, so that last 6 inches or so to the ground is insignificant.

You *should* be ok and definitely will be better off than someone standing next to you outside of the car. The car electronics are all grounded to the frame, and there will definitely be significant damage.

 

[GreaseMonkey]

You *are* safer in the car, but not because of the tires. You are safer in your vehicle because it is a metal cage around you that is pretty close to the ground. The electricity will flow around you and jump to the ground without traveling through you. The bolt has already traveled through a few miles of air, so that last 6 inches or so to the ground is insignificant.

You *should* be ok and definitely will be better off than someone standing next to you outside of the car. The car electronics are all grounded to the frame, and there will definitely be significant damage.

Exactly. Unlike planes which are designed to withstand lightening without missing a beat, ice cars will sustain crippling damage but probably still survive (like my sister’s car). And as the OP’s adjustor mentioned, EVs would most likely be a total loss.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Exactly. Unlike planes which are designed to withstand lightening without missing a beat, ice cars will sustain crippling damage but probably still survive (like my sister’s car). And as the OP’s adjustor mentioned, EVs would most likely be a total loss.

I was on a flight once where the plane seemed to have been struck by lightning. I saw (and heard) it happen, but after we landed the pilot went looking for where it hit and said he couldn't find anything. But he definitely thought it had been hit!

 

[MachhE-CT]

I've known people who won't take a shower during a thunderstorm and knew one who wouldn't even sit on the toilet.

If you're one of those folks, don't charge in the thunderstorm either.

I will sit on the can... really can't help that but a shower no way. I have UPS on all my critical electronics.

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