FEMA Assistance Available To Flood Victims
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Daniel [email protected]
Officials from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Thursday that disaster assistance has been made available for 12 more counties, including Kosciusko and Whitley.[[In-content Ad]]Fulton and Marshall counties were already eligible for such assistance.
Individuals and business owners can apply for help on both the state and federal level following President Bush's Jan. 30 disaster declaration.
Help can include funding for temporary housing assistance, grants to help cover expenses not covered by insurance and U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans for homeowners, renters and business owners to repair or replace real or or personal property and housing repair.
Individuals and business owners can apply immediately by calling 800-621-3362, 24 hours a day.
Those with a speech or hearing impairment may call 800-462-7585.
An application can be filed online at www.fema.gov
The deadline to register for assistance is March 31.
Callers are advised to have the following information available to help speed up the application process:
- The person's current phone number and daytime and evening phone numbers where they can be reach
- Social Security number, if available
- A general list of damages and losses suffered
- If insured, a insurance policy number, or insurance agent and company name
- The address and good directions to the property
FEMA also is reminding residents that flood insurance is still available after the flooding.
"I didn't think I could get flood insurance" is an all-too-familiar statement to FEMA's Mike Klitzke.
"I have literally heard uninsured disaster victims say the same thing on every flood I have ever worked," said Klitzke, an expert on the National Flood Insurance Program. "Sadly, those people have almost always been misinformed."
The NFIP is a federal program administered by FEMA, but policies are sold by neighborhood insurance agents. With very few exceptions, namely coastal barrier areas, it is available to most people living in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, including renters and condo owners.
Even people living in low-to-moderate flood risk area are advised to have flood insurance because almost 25 percent of NFIP claims come from outside high-flood-risk areas.
Officials said FEMA can only offer financial assistance to victims in the event of a presidential disaster declaration. The majority of floods are not extensive enough to warrant such a declaration. An NFIP flood policy pays off whether there is a declaration or not. The average cost of a policy is around $400.
"If your agent does not sell flood insurance, call the NFIP and we'll find you an agent who will," said Klitzke. "The one caveat is most policies don't go into affect until 30 days after purchase, so if someone buys now, they are planning smart for the future."
That NFIP agent referral telephone number is 888-435-6637.
Officials from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Thursday that disaster assistance has been made available for 12 more counties, including Kosciusko and Whitley.[[In-content Ad]]Fulton and Marshall counties were already eligible for such assistance.
Individuals and business owners can apply for help on both the state and federal level following President Bush's Jan. 30 disaster declaration.
Help can include funding for temporary housing assistance, grants to help cover expenses not covered by insurance and U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans for homeowners, renters and business owners to repair or replace real or or personal property and housing repair.
Individuals and business owners can apply immediately by calling 800-621-3362, 24 hours a day.
Those with a speech or hearing impairment may call 800-462-7585.
An application can be filed online at www.fema.gov
The deadline to register for assistance is March 31.
Callers are advised to have the following information available to help speed up the application process:
- The person's current phone number and daytime and evening phone numbers where they can be reach
- Social Security number, if available
- A general list of damages and losses suffered
- If insured, a insurance policy number, or insurance agent and company name
- The address and good directions to the property
FEMA also is reminding residents that flood insurance is still available after the flooding.
"I didn't think I could get flood insurance" is an all-too-familiar statement to FEMA's Mike Klitzke.
"I have literally heard uninsured disaster victims say the same thing on every flood I have ever worked," said Klitzke, an expert on the National Flood Insurance Program. "Sadly, those people have almost always been misinformed."
The NFIP is a federal program administered by FEMA, but policies are sold by neighborhood insurance agents. With very few exceptions, namely coastal barrier areas, it is available to most people living in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, including renters and condo owners.
Even people living in low-to-moderate flood risk area are advised to have flood insurance because almost 25 percent of NFIP claims come from outside high-flood-risk areas.
Officials said FEMA can only offer financial assistance to victims in the event of a presidential disaster declaration. The majority of floods are not extensive enough to warrant such a declaration. An NFIP flood policy pays off whether there is a declaration or not. The average cost of a policy is around $400.
"If your agent does not sell flood insurance, call the NFIP and we'll find you an agent who will," said Klitzke. "The one caveat is most policies don't go into affect until 30 days after purchase, so if someone buys now, they are planning smart for the future."
That NFIP agent referral telephone number is 888-435-6637.
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