Survivors With Lapsed Flood Insurance Can Still Get FEMA Help

CLINTON, Miss. – Hurricane Isaac survivors in Mississippi who let their flood insurance policies lapse may be able to receive federal disaster assistance.

Survivors who received their policies through a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant but let their policies lapse are ineligible for federal disaster loans or grants to be used for home repairs. However, FEMA is reaching out to them because they are eligible for grants that would pay for a temporary place to stay if their primary residence is uninhabitable as a result of the storm.

Some insurance policies are issued under a FEMA Group Flood Insurance Policy, which are funded by a portion of a survivor’s FEMA grant money. Once policies expire after three years, renters and homeowners are required to purchase and maintain flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program to continue their insurance protection.

Only survivors who have maintained their NFIP policies can be considered for home repair disaster grants or loans if the property had damages during Hurricane Isaac. However, all survivors are eligible to be considered for grants that would pay for temporary housing assistance.

Survivors with uninsured or underinsured damages can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via smartphone at m.fema.gov. They may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711 Relay or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.