Systems and methods for overvoltage protection are disclosed. According to one illustrative implementation, an overvoltage protection device is provided having one or more overvoltage protection elements and a measuring device for monitoring the overvoltage protection elements. Further, the measuring device may include an evaluation device, which is designed to count pulse-like overvoltage events which are arrested by the overvoltage protection element, wherein the evaluation device is connected to the overvoltage protection element via a light-measuring device and/or a device for identifying a current flow. In further implementations, overvoltage protection devices may comprise an evaluation device which, on the basis of the counted pulses and/or an identified current flow, may determine whether the overvoltage protection element is still operational, is previously damaged, or is unusable, and/or an alarm device, which indicates whether the overvoltage protection element is still operational, is previously damaged, or is unusable.