How does one protect against these without breaking the bank doing so ?

Go on Mousers web site and look at gas tubes made by Littelfuse. Go to
Littelfuses web site from the link on Mousers site and check out the specs
on gas tubes. Compare them to the specs on your $50-70 commercial lightning
arrestor.
Then note that what's in that little casting box is two coax connectors, one
capacitor and one $2-3 gas tube and you have the answer to your question.
Myth revealed.

Rick K2XT