August 11, 2025 – Washington Co., WI — After a weekend storm dumped more than 10 inches of rain across Washington County, Wi, homeowners are dealing with flooded basements, damaged parking lots, waterlogged vehicles, fallen trees, and roof leaks. But according to local insurance agent Don Patnode, many residents are finding out the hard way that most of this storm damage is not covered under a standard homeowner’s policy.
“We’re getting plenty of calls,” Patnode said. “Unfortunately, these types of water events are not covered by a typical homeowner’s policy. If you’ve had water infiltration and your sump pump can’t keep up, or it fails, or there’s a power outage, you could have some limited coverage if you’ve purchased the right endorsement — but even then, it’s usually around $5,000. Most people are not going to have coverage for any of this stuff.”
Patnode said the first step is to review your policy. “If they don’t have the endorsement, we have to tell them to clean it up, remove their carpets and padding, and start the dry-out process,” he said. “It’s a very difficult conversation when you get this much rain. Industry-wide, groundwater infiltration just isn’t covered.”
Homeowners awoke Sunday to many instances of damage. On Silverbook Drive in West Bend, WI a family who lived in their home since 1965 had significant water in their finished basement. Another neighbor off of Fifth Avenue and Maple Street saw their back parking lot washed away.
Click HERE as Property Loss Management offers tips on how to deal with a wet basement
Damaged was scattered across communities like Richfield, Hartford, Slinger, and Germantown. There was a report of a collapsed basement wall and even a sinkhole on a front lawn on S. Main Street in West Bend.
Patnode said those losses typically won’t be paid by insurance. “Lightning is a covered peril, but your ground isn’t covered. If your yard washes away or your foundation is compromised by hydrostatic pressure, there’s no coverage for that.”
Roof and tree damage is a different story. “If you have a roof leak caused by wind or hail, that’s a covered peril. And if a tree branch falls on your house during a storm, that’s covered, too,” Patnode said. “But what we’re seeing right now is primarily groundwater building up in the soil and forcing its way into homes — and that’s not covered.”
The same principle applies to vehicles stuck in floodwaters. “Car flooding is covered under comprehensive auto coverage,” Patnode said. “If the car is totaled, the payout is based on the vehicle’s value minus the deductible.”
As more rain is forecast, Patnode urged homeowners to focus on mitigation. “Get rid of carpet, padding, laminate floors, and foam underlayment. Use dehumidifiers and fans — especially dehumidifiers. Turn your air conditioner down so it pulls more moisture out of the air. The key is to extract the water as soon as possible to avoid mold,” he said.
Patnode’s final piece of advice: “Call your insurance company, verify what coverage you have, and act fast to protect your home. The damage won’t wait, and neither should you.”
On a side note: The damaged parking lot was in West Bend, Wi behind BJ & Company. Jeff Rosenberg from SKB Lawn Care stepped in and volunteered his time and skid steer to helping clean up the debris.
