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DHS FEMA NFIP Services - eWaterwark Article
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Disaster Support Resources
FEMA is providing the following information to assist NFIP stakeholders in better serving their
clients when floods, hurricanes, or other disasters strike. Our NFIP partners can use this
information to help their clients with registering for housing assistance; contacting the Small
Business Administration, American Red Cross, or other agencies; and accessing a variety of other
Federal and State disaster support resources. A
complete list of such services is available on the FEMA website.
Filing Insurance Claims
It's important to begin the claim process as soon as possible after sustaining an insured loss.
Policyholders can contact the NFIP by telephone at 800-427-4661 if they
are unable to locate important policy information or need help contacting their insurance company.
They can also call the Hurricane Insurance Information Center at 800-942-4242 to obtain contact
information for their homeowners insurance company.
Registering for FEMA Aid
Flood victims can register for FEMA assistance and have access to a number of important resources.
FEMA can provide additional information and assistance for losses not covered by insurance
coverage, including temporary housing and repair assistance. Individuals can register by
telephone (800-621-3362), by TTY (800-462-7585), or on the
registration
page of the FEMA website.
FEMA Housing Assistance
FEMA funding is available for temporary and transitional housing assistance.
Temporary Housing
Money is available for short-term rental of housing. If rental properties are not available,
government housing may be provided.
Transitional Housing Assistance Program
Disaster Assistance provides $2,358 per household, as an initial payment for 3 months. Rental
assistance may be extended up to 18 months for qualifying applicants. This amount is included in the
calculation of total benefits for which a household may be eligible. It may cover only a portion of
the total assistance needed. After completing the normal eligibility process, it will be determined
if they qualify for additional payments of assistance.
- Repair - Money is available to assist homeowners with disaster damage to their primary
residence that was not covered by insurance. The goal is to make the damaged home safe,
sanitary, and functional.
- Replacement - Money is available to homeowners to replace their home destroyed by a disaster
that was not covered by insurance. The goal is to help the homeowner with the cost of replacing
the destroyed home.
- Permanent Housing Construction - Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home
may be available in insular areas or remote locations specified by FEMA, where no other type of
housing assistance is possible.
Small Business Administration (SBA)
After registering with FEMA, disaster victims may be referred to the SBA for information about a
low-interest loan. The SBA is the primary source of Federal funds for long-term recovery assistance.
The SBA has loan officers in Disaster Recovery Centers to explain the loan program and provide
assistance in completing an application. Information is also available on the
SBA website.
American Red Cross
People affected by a disaster should also contact the American Red Cross if they have immediate
emergency needs for food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. Contact information for each chapter
is available on the
chapters page of the American Red Cross website.
State Insurance Commissioners
Complaints against insurance agents, adjusters, or companies can be filed with the State Department
of Insurance. Contact information for each state is available on the
website of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC)
FEMA DRCs are an excellent source of information on local, State, Federal, and voluntary agencies
(such as those listed below) that may be able to provide additional disaster assistance.
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| Last Modified:
Friday, 21 January 2011 |
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