Which of the following losses would be considered a natural disaster for insurance purposes?

Fire damage from a lightning strike is considered a natural disaster for insurance purposes because it results from a natural occurrence—the lightning itself. Insurance policies typically classify events caused by natural forces as disasters, and lightning strikes are unpredictable weather events that can cause significant damage.

Natural disasters often encompass incidents such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and severe storms, all of which stem from natural phenomena. Fire caused by lightning is included in this category because it is not man-made and can have widespread implications depending on the severity of the strike.

In contrast, while flood damage to a property may also be classified under natural disasters, it often requires specific policies, such as flood insurance, to cover such losses, which may not apply universally in all circumstances. Accidental damage from a falling branch and theft of personal belongings do not fall into the natural disaster category as they are either caused by human actions or specific incidents rather than widespread natural events.