Wisconsin: The Storm-Ready Checklist

Shelter & mitigation money

No dedicated state-run storm-shelter rebate or grant program is listed for Wisconsin in the mitigation data reviewed for this page. Check with the state emergency management agency below for anything new.

NAIC's June 2025 hurricane-deductible list does not name Wisconsin; NAIC notes other states may still allow insurers to include one, and a separate wind/hail deductible can appear in any state's policy regardless (content.naic.org/insurance-topics/hurricane-deductibles).

Who to call, before and after

The hazards Wisconsin actually faces

• Extreme cold

  Peak season: Nov–Jan

  Extreme cold turns ordinary failures — a stalled car, a lost power connection, a wet coat — into emergencies far faster than people expect, and hypothermia risk starts well above freezing once wind and moisture are factored in. Frozen and burst pipes are the most common property-damage claim tied to cold snaps, and they are largely preventable with basic insulation and a known shutoff valve.

• Extreme heat

  Peak season: Jul

  Extreme heat kills more people in an average US year than any other weather hazard, and most of those deaths are preventable — the risk concentrates in the first heat wave of the season, before bodies acclimate, and in households without reliable cooling. Checking on elderly or isolated neighbors during a heat advisory does more than any single piece of equipment.

• Hail and derecho

  Peak season: Feb–Aug

  Hail and derecho winds arrive inside the same thunderstorm complex, often with less lead time than a tornado warning because the threat is the whole storm line, not a single funnel. Large hail totals more property-damage claims nationally than any other severe-storm hazard, and derecho wind gusts can match hurricane-force winds hundreds of miles from open water. Vehicles under cover and loose yard items secured before the line arrives are the cheap fix.

Rules worth knowing

• Winter utility shutoff protection: Statewide winter disconnection moratorium, Nov 1 - Apr 15, for heat-related residential service; a utility must file and get PSC approval before disconnecting during the moratorium (Wis. Admin. Code PSC 113.0304).

Frequently asked