Waukesha Condo Owners Sue Insurance Company For $17M

Waukesha condo owners who escaped a near-building collapse have filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against their insurance company.

Unit owners at the Horizon West Condominiums are now on the hook for millions of dollars to demolish the condemned building.

Residents in the 58 units had minutes to evacuate in December. They were allowed to return to move out personal items before the demolition after the building was stabilized. The owners are suing Travelers Insurance for $17 million.

"We wondered, ’Why isn’t insurance covering this?’ We’re not allowed to live in our homes anymore so this seems like the kind of thing insurance should cover. Meanwhile the insurance company hasn’t given us an answer," Alicia Halvensleben told WISN 12 on Thursday.

After inspections and the removal of unsafe balconies revealed rusted support beams, engineers sounded the alarm. They determined the six-story building had deteriorated to the point that it could collapse.