TODAY AT FIVE. THANKS, EMILY. THOUSANDS OF FLOOD VICTIMS ARE LEARNING THE HARD WAY. THEIR DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. TONIGHT WE’RE HEARING FROM FRUSTRATED HOMEOWNERS WHO EXPECTED THEIR POLICIES WOULD COVER THE DAMAGE, ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OR MOST OF THE BILL. 12 NEWS NICK BOHR IS LIVE IN GLENDALE. AND NICK, YOU’VE SEEN BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY TODAY. RIGHT? BLAKE? THOSE WHO ARE COVERED AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT. AND LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS AN ENTIRE CITY BLOCK PRETTY MUCH AS WE WALK ALONG HERE, YOU CAN GO ALMOST ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE WITH HARDLY ANY GAPS IN ALL OF THE WASTE THAT’S HAD TO BE PULLED OUT OF THESE HOMES. THE STATE INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS OFFICE TELLING ME A FLOOD INSURANCE MAY NOT BE AS EXPENSIVE AS PEOPLE THINK HERE, BECAUSE WE DON’T GET A TON OF FLOOD DISASTERS IN WISCONSIN. THERE’S A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT YOU HAVE TO BE IN A FLOODPLAIN TO BUY FLOOD INSURANCE, BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE. AND AS WE’RE SEEING THIS WEEK, WHEN A FLOOD HAPPENS, IT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. FIVE DAYS SINCE THE HISTORIC FLOODING, THE CLEANUP IS UNDERWAY, AND ALONG WITH IT, THE PAINFUL PROCESS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS, FIGURING OUT WHETHER ANY OF IT WILL BE COVERED BY INSURANCE. IT JUST KEPT COMING IN AND COMING IN, NICK DONOVAN GLENDALE IS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES WITH FLOOD INSURANCE BECAUSE IT WAS REQUIRED FOR HIS MORTGAGE. HE BELIEVES MUCH OF THIS DAMAGE TO HIS BASEMENT WILL BE COVERED. WHEN WE BOUGHT THE HOUSE A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE’RE IN A FLOOD ZONE, SO WE WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THAT’S A HUGE HELP. THAT GETS US A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. DOWN THE BLOCK. HIS NEIGHBOR ISN’T SO LUCKY. YOU CAN HAVE A FIRE. YOU CAN HAVE A VOLCANO, WHATEVER. BUT NOPE, SORRY, NO FLOOD. SO NOTHING. JP EDWARDS SAYS HE’S BEEN TOLD HIS HOMEOWNER’S POLICY ISN’T COVERING THE LOSS OF HIS FURNACE, AND MANY EXPENSIVE POWER TOOLS IN THE FLOODED OUT GARAGE. ALL THE INSURANCE COMMERCIALS AND THEY SEND YOU EMAILS FROM TIME TO TIME. WE’RE WE’RE WE GOT YOUR BACK. WE’RE COVERING YOUR DREAMS. DOESN’T REALLY MEAN MUCH AT A TIME LIKE THIS. IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE DOES NOT TYPICALLY COVER FLOOD DAMAGE, AND NOR DOES TRADITIONAL RENTER’S INSURANCE. THE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE IN WISCONSIN TELLS 12 NEWS THEY’VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF CALLS FROM CONFUSED AND ANGRY FLOOD VICTIMS, LEARNING THEY’RE NOT COVERED. IT’S A TOUGH LESSON WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM. ONLY ONE INCH OF WATER CAN CAUSE UP TO $25,000 IN DAMAGE, AND THAT’S A COST THAT THAT MOST OF US HERE IN WISCONSIN WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO ABSORB ON OUR OWN. YEAH, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. YOU CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT ANGER IS COMING FROM. NICK. THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER’S OFFICE TOLD YOU IT’S CRITICAL TO MAKE A CLAIM, EVEN IF YOU’VE BEEN TOLD YOUR DAMAGE IS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED. RIGHT. BECAUSE IF THIS AREA IS COVERED BY SOME FEMA DISASTER MONEY, THEY WILL LIKELY REQUIRE PEOPLE TO HAVE A DENIAL FROM THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY IN ORDER TO GET SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION. SO EVEN IF YOU DON’T THINK IT WILL BE COVERED, MAKE SURE YOU FILE A CLAIM SO YOU HAVE THAT DENIAL READY TO GO. IF FEMA DOES APPROVE AID FOR OUR AREA, CERTAINLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
SE Wisconsin homeowners face insurance woes after historic flooding
Homeowners in Glendale are discovering that their insurance policies do not cover flood damage, leaving many to bear the financial burden alone.
Updated: 7:02 PM CDT Aug 15, 2025
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Homeowners in Glendale are grappling with the aftermath of historic flooding, discovering that their insurance policies do not cover the damage, leaving many responsible for the costs themselves.Nick Dunham, a homeowner in Glendale, is among the fortunate few with flood insurance, which was required for his mortgage.”When we bought the house a couple of years ago, we’re in a flood zone, so we’re required to have flood insurance in the first place,” Dunham said. “That’s a huge help, that gets us headed in the right direction.”However, Dunham’s neighbor, JP Edwards, is not as lucky. Edwards said his homeowners’ policy does not cover the loss of his furnace and expensive power tools in his flooded garage.”You can have a fire, you can have a volcano, but sorry, no floods, so nothing,” Edwards said.He expressed frustration with insurance companies, saying, “All the insurance commercials, and they send you emails from time to time, where we got your back, we’re covering your dreams. It doesn’t really mean much at a time like this.”The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance in Wisconsin has received numerous calls from confused and angry flood victims who are learning their policies do not cover flood damage.”It’s really important for people to know that homeowner’s insurance does not typically cover flood damage, nor does traditional renter’s insurance,” spokesperson Sarah Smith said Friday. She emphasized the importance of understanding insurance coverage, noting that “only one inch of water can cause up to $25,000 in damage. That’s a cost that most of us here in Wisconsin wouldn’t be able to absorb on our own.”The state insurance commissioner’s office advises homeowners to file a claim even if they have been told their damage will not be covered. This documentation is crucial if the area qualifies for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster aid, as federal assistance will likely require proof of an insurance denial before providing aid.Top HeadlinesSearch underway for person in the water near South Shore Beach in MilwaukeePotawatomi Casino guests’ cars total loss after historic floodingMilwaukee’s north side ZIP codes the hardest hit from historic floodingWATCH Bus Crash Caught on Camera
Homeowners in Glendale are grappling with the aftermath of historic flooding, discovering that their insurance policies do not cover the damage, leaving many responsible for the costs themselves.
Nick Dunham, a homeowner in Glendale, is among the fortunate few with flood insurance, which was required for his mortgage.
“When we bought the house a couple of years ago, we’re in a flood zone, so we’re required to have flood insurance in the first place,” Dunham said. “That’s a huge help, that gets us headed in the right direction.”
However, Dunham’s neighbor, JP Edwards, is not as lucky. Edwards said his homeowners’ policy does not cover the loss of his furnace and expensive power tools in his flooded garage.
“You can have a fire, you can have a volcano, but sorry, no floods, so nothing,” Edwards said.
He expressed frustration with insurance companies, saying, “All the insurance commercials, and they send you emails from time to time, where we got your back, we’re covering your dreams. It doesn’t really mean much at a time like this.”
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance in Wisconsin has received numerous calls from confused and angry flood victims who are learning their policies do not cover flood damage.
“It’s really important for people to know that homeowner’s insurance does not typically cover flood damage, nor does traditional renter’s insurance,” spokesperson Sarah Smith said Friday. She emphasized the importance of understanding insurance coverage, noting that “only one inch of water can cause up to $25,000 in damage. That’s a cost that most of us here in Wisconsin wouldn’t be able to absorb on our own.”
The state insurance commissioner’s office advises homeowners to file a claim even if they have been told their damage will not be covered. This documentation is crucial if the area qualifies for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster aid, as federal assistance will likely require proof of an insurance denial before providing aid.
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