Good God! I hope not.
I’ll have to have a look at our home insurance.
Surely, if a lightning bolt strikes your home and it goes up in smoke, you’d be covered on your home insurance?
In any event, I’m an atheist so acts of God shouldn’t affect me.
I’ve just checked my home insurance cover, and included are:
Lightning, explosions and earthquakes
Fire and smoke
Impact from vehicles
Falling trees, lampposts, aerials and telegraph poles
Storms and floods
Water or oil leakage
Subsidence
Theft or attempted theft.
Phew! I’m especially relieved about the earthquake cover.
Probably safe, Mups, but put your mind at rest by reading this:-
How lightning protection systems work.
Me, I’d unplug if there was a lot on lightning about!
Already posted this.
An excellent article! 
To the best of my knowledge (and I do not claim to be an expert!), it is absolutely correct and not exaggerated at all.
I have bookmarked it and intend to look at the other, linked, articles which, I’m sure, I’ll find equally interesting and informative.
Unplugging the telly, however, is not something I’m likely to do. If the house is actually struck, or even a nearby structure, there is likely to be damage whether or not I have unplugged my television. Everything is insured for replacement anyway and any damage from a nearby strike is going to be rather more serious than just a television.
Nevertheless, a very helpful and well-written article. Thank you.
(Why are so many such articles American? Are we in the UK incapable of producing such things? 
)
Our house is quite tall but luckily there is a fireman’s drill tower a few yards away… and a fire station of course.
That’s a great advantage, should your house be struck then!
That is not quite right, the power neutral is earthed.
My power comes in from overhead wires but I don’t bother wih unplugging anything during a storm unless there is no delay between the flash and the bang and even then I don’t always unplug things.
That’s what house contents insurance is for.
Looks like you should be alright then, JBR.
Think I’d better check mine again. 
Thanks Ted.
I always have done, and think I’d rather be safe than sorry.
I mainly wondered about the computer.
That’s not the whole point to me though Bruce.
Insured or not, me and the dogs would still be terrified if a huge lightning strike hit our house.
Even if we lived through it and weren’t fried alive, I still wouldn’t want the upheavel of moving out while workmen were repairing or rebuilding.
All in all, I think I will carry on unplugging, but thank you for your input anyway.
I’m not criticising, but to be honest if a lighting strike hit your house, having unplugged your telly and computer wouldn’t prevent your house being blown up.
I am not worried about the lightning striking the house there are plenty of taller trees around me which are a much juicier target, the threat is lightning striking the power lines. (This photo is typical of older areas)
As I say sometimes I unplug devices, sometimes not, but I think that is the least of your worries if lightning struck your house. Unplugging anything is not going to make the slightest difference.
Thanks for that, I feel much better now.
Don’t worry. The chances are very slim indeed.
Unless you live on the top of a hill or in the middle of a golf course!
If you do, don’t bother to unplug your telly.
Just sell up, toot sweet!
I have not read every post in this thread but the concensus seems to be that older relatives unplugged and few bother now. I fall into that group myself.
What I will add is that a nearby lightning strike will generate a big power surge - big enough to overcome anti surge sockets and damage equipment that is plugged in. I’ve never had this and don’t know anybody that has though.
One other thing that ground strikes can do is generate electrical noise which will knock out a DSL internet connection and if you are unlucky the line management can cut your speeds and take quite a while to allow it to recover. When I was in the country on a long line I had that after one nearby storm. Nothing you can do about it though unless you disconnect the router ever time you hear a rumble.
My laptop is connected to the mains only through a transformer. My TV is no longer connected to the aerial, and the router is connected to the mains and Virgin’s underground cable system.
If anything is knocked out, the TV and laptop are insured and the router belongs to Virgin and will be replaced f.o.c.
My only concern is the very remote possibility of a direct strike to the house, but that too is insured and if it is struck it will be God’s will!
You’ve all been very helpful.
Thank you. 
We had a big thunderstorm on Friday, a house north of us ( haxby) was struck and caught fire, pretty much destroyed it especially when the fire brigade had finished putting it out…
Frightening, isn’t it, what a direct lightning strike can do?
Thank Dog for insurance.