A tornado that caused severe damage in northeastern Wisconsin on July 27 has been preliminarily ruled as an EF3, the National Weather Service said.
The tornado stayed on the ground for more than 20 minutes, damaging homes and b
usinesses in Neenah, Menasha and Appleton. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The tornado developed two miles northwest of Appleton and tracked southward into Fox Crossing
and Menasha, the NWS said. EF3 tornadoes carry wind speeds of 136-165 mph.
“If you experienced any damage, it’s important to notify your insurance agent or company right away to begin the claim process,” Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Nathan Houdek said.
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance recommends the following tips for processing storm damage:
Make a list of damaged items, including cracks in walls, damage to siding or shingles, spoiled food due to a long-term power outage, etc.
Take photographs of the damage before you begin to clean up.
Don’t throw out any damaged property without the claim adjuster’s agreement.
Keep all receipts that document the cost of the repairs or the replacement of damaged items.
Wisconsin has experienced an unusually active storm season. Through mid-July, the st
ate had 39 documented tornadoes, which tied it with 2025 for the sixth-most in an entire since 1950, according to the NWS.
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On average the state experiences 23 tornadoes throughout the full year.
Florida’s top insurance regulator and some insurance producers, including the former pre
sident of the Latin American Association of Insurance Agents, are questioning a report that suggests policyholders in Hispanic neighborhoods in the state pay much higher premiums.
“While we acknowledge public concerns over housing costs, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation refutes the premise that insurance premium di
fferences are driven by racial discrimination,” said the press secretary for OIR and Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky.
The report from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), released this month, argues that Hispanic homeowners in Florida may be the victims of “redlining”—
the largely illegal practice of charging higher rates in areas based on racial demographics.
“Florida has the largest Hispanic premium gap: Homeowners in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods are charged 58% more—an average of $5,014 more e
ach year—for the same insurance coverage when it is offered to homeowners in predominantly white ZIP
codes,” reads the report, authored by four well-known researchers with the Federation.
