FEMA Expands Call Center Hours Ahead of Approaching Deadline For Flood Insurance Policyholders to Request a Review of their Hurricane Sandy Claim

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that it has expanded the operating hours of the call center that handles requests from flood insurance policyholders who want their insurance claim from Hurricane Sandy reviewed.

The change will provide a greater opportunity for policyholders to enter the Hurricane Sandy Claims Review, including calling over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The last day to request a review is Sept. 15, 2015. Effective immediately, FEMA’s National Processing Service Center will expand its weekday hours from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). This weekend, as well as next Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 12-13), the call center will be available from 10 a.m. EDT to 6 p.m. On Labor Day, the call center will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT.

To be eligible for the review, policyholders must have experienced flood damage between Oct. 27, 2012 and Nov. 6, 2012 as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and must have had an active NFIP flood policy at the time of the loss. Policyholders should call 866-337-4262 to get started.

FEMA is encouraging policyholders to request a review if they believe their Sandy flood insurance claims were underpaid for any reason. More than 12,500 policyholders have entered the review process so far. Most reviews can be concluded in about 90 days.

Policyholders can also go online to www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims to download a form requesting a review. The downloaded form can be filled out and emailed to FEMA-sandyclaimsreview@fema.dhs.gov or faxed to 202-646-7970 to begin the review process. For individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and use 711 or VRS, please call 866-337-4262.  For individuals using a TTY, please call 800-462-7585 to begin the review process.

When policyholders call, it is helpful if they have available as much information as possible, including the name(s) on the policy, the address of the damaged property and the 10-digit NFIP policy number that was in effect at the time of the loss. Policyholders will be asked a series of questions to determine whether they qualify for the review. If qualified, they will be called by an adjuster to begin the review. The timing of this call may be affected by the volume of requests.

Policyholders who have already requested a review of their claim do not have to call again. They are in the system and an adjuster will continue to work with them after the Sept. 15 deadline.

The Sandy Claims Review is intended to be simple for the policyholder and does not require paid legal assistance. Several nonprofit service providers are ready to offer free advice and answer questions policyholders may have. A list of these advocacy groups can be found on the claims review website at www.fema.gov/sandyclaims.

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.

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FEMA Expands Call Center Hours Ahead of Approaching Deadline For Flood Insurance Policyholders to Request a Review of their Hurricane Sandy Claim

FEMA Urges Quick Filing of Insurance Claims

NEW YORK – Property owners who sustained flood damages and are insured by policies underwritten by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are strongly urged to file claims immediately.

“The faster the claim is filed, the sooner the settlement process can begin,” said David Passey of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program. “Individuals start the claim process by calling their insurance agent or company.”

The policyholder should provide the name of the issuing agent or company, the policy number and a phone number or email address where he or she can be reached, Passey said. After filing a claim, an adjuster will contact the policyholder within a few days to schedule an appointment for the initial inspection.

A “Proof of Loss” statement is required, which includes the detailed estimates of the cost to repair or replace damaged property. In most cases, the adjuster will provide a suggested Proof of Loss, but the ultimate responsibility for making sure the document is complete, accurate and filed on time is with the policyholder.

Should further damage be discovered after the adjuster has made an inspection, policyholders can file a supplemental claim.

“It is a good idea to separate damaged items from those that are OK,” Passey said. “And if possible, take lots of photographs of water in the property and things that are damaged. In case you are required to dispose of certain things, the photos will provide a record of what was ruined and removed.”

FEMA National Flood Insurance Program representatives can be reached at 800-427-4661 should policyholders have questions that cannot be answered by agents. More information is available at www.floodsmart.gov.

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FEMA Urges Quick Filing of Insurance Claims