Thousands still without power
Spoiled food may be covered by insurance
Even if your property wasn’t damaged in the weekend’s severe thunderstorms across Wisconsin, you might have an insurance claim if you have a refrigerator or deep freezer full of food that spoiled because power was out for days.
As of Wednesday morning, there were still about 13,700 Wisconsin Public Service customers without power as a result of the storms.
Power has been restored to more than a quarter-million WPS and We Energies customers who were affected by the storms, said Amy Jahns, a spokeswoman for WEC Energy Group, in an email.
WEC is the parent company of Green Bay-based WPS and Milwaukee-based We Energies.
The power grid across portions of northwest, north-central and northeastern Wisconsin was heavily damaged by back-to-back derechos — longlived storms that produce damage across hundreds of miles — on Friday and Saturday.
Thunderstorm winds may have reached 100 mph or more in some areas.
“Most customers in the highly devastated areas around Wabeno, Antigo, Elcho and Stevens Point should have power restored by the end of the day Thursday,” Jahns said.
“We Energies expects to complete restoration for the remaining affected customers in the Fox Valley by this evening.”
We Energies crews will be joining crews already working to rebuild parts of the WPS network in the communities hardest hit by the storms, Jahns said.
Spoiled food may be covered
A check with insurance companies in Wisconsin showed that there generally is coverage for spoiled food if that spoilage is caused by a power outage.
“... Homeowners policies typically provide some level of coverage for food spoilage caused by a power outage,” Mary Ellen O’Connor, a spokeswoman for West Bend Mutual Insurance, said in an email.
Madison-based American Family also said homeowners policies typically include such coverage, but residents should check their policies or check with their agents to see what is covered.
Sheboygan-based Acuity said spoiled food also would be covered under homeowners policies if the spoilage is the result of a storm-caused power outage.
Beware of scam artists
Meanwhile, the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is warning residents to “be leery of ‘storm chasers’ that come knocking at your door with aggressive sales tactics,” according to a statement from the agency.
“Always use caution when interacting with traveling crews that show up at your door in the aftermath of a storm, never let them into your home, and do not give in to high-pressure pitches.”
The department offers these tips for homeowners with storm damage:
❚ Hire a contractor based on referrals. Ask friends, neighbors or your insurance agent for recommendations and ask contractors for references.
❚ Before you sign a contract, contact the department’s Consumer Protection Hotline (800 422-7128) to see if there are complaints about the business.
❚ Try to get a local contractor and know who will be doing the work — the contractor or a subcontractor.
❚ Get lien waivers from anyone you pay for home repairs. It is necessary to do this because if the person collecting the money does not pay the supplier or worker, a lien could be put on your property.
❚ Get a written contract with a start and completion date and warranty information. Also, make certain that the contract states exactly what work is to be done and what materials are to be used. Never rely on a verbal commitment.
❚ Check with your local building inspector to see if the work requires a permit and make sure an inspector visits the job site before you provide final payment.
❚ Request a copy of the contractor’s certificate of liability insurance.
❚ Keep all receipts that document the cost of repairs or the replacement of damaged items.