New data from the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) shows that German insurers received fewer lightning damage reports than ever before in 2020.
However, despite the lowest number of lightning damage, German household and residential building insurers again paid more compensation last year.
Accordingly, the total damage increased by €10 million to €260 million compared to 2019, although with 200,000 lightning and surge damage claims there were fewer than ever since the statistics were introduced in 1998.
“At 1,300 euros, the average loss is higher than ever before,” said GDV Managing Director Jörg Asmussen, who attributes the development to the ever more extensive building technology.
“The houses and households are technically better equipped,” he observed, noted that expensive heating or blind controls often have to be repaired or replaced following a lightning strike.
For lightning, the residential building insurance covers damage to the roof, masonry or overvoltage damage to permanently installed electrical installations such as heating controls.
Cleaning up and securing the property are also covered, while damage to movable property in the apartment or house is covered by the contents insurance, including computers, televisions or other technical devices.
