The whirlwind events uncharacteristic to Texans, has left many local home owners wondering what steps to take next. Many of our local counties have been declared a FEMA disaster zone, which means you might qualify for additional benefits. Here are the relevant steps to take for a claim and helpful information. Reach out if we can assist you in any way.
Resources
Over 100 Texas counties have now been approved for Federal aid (including Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bexar, Blanco, Harris, Tarrant, and Dallas). This means, you may be eligible for financial assistance to help meet basic needs + supplement your disaster recovery for damages and expenses not covered by insurance.
We have included some resources to help you determine eligibility and apply for assistance:
Click here to enter your zip code to see if your area has been declared for assistance.
Assistance is available for the following (not full list- call number below for exhaustive list): 1-800-621-3362, or 1-800-462-7585
-Financial assistance for temporary housing
-Transitional shelter
-Home repairs
-Funds for uninsured or underinsured losses
*FEMA can’t give duplicate benefits for losses also covered by your insurance company. So, you will need to file a claim with your insurance company/get a denial letter or documentation that damage doesn’t meet your deductible. If you don’t have insurance you can skip that step and directly apply with FEMA.
Who Can Benefit: Individuals (Home owners, renters, business owners)
-This assistance can help both those who carry insurance and those who do not
Who to Call: 1-800-621-3362, or 1-800-462-7585
Websites To Register for Aid:
Disaster Assistance Center - Disaster Assistance Center - CAPTCHA
Up to Date Information: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4586.
Steps To Receive Assistance:
-Document Damage (take photos of damage property/ belongings)
-Make inventory list of damaged or lost items or property
-File a claim with your insurance company (if you do have a policy. If not, skip this step and file directly with FEMA)
-Register for relief/ contact FEMA at the websites/ phone numbers above
-Tell FEMA what insurance coverage MAY be available to you (home, flood, business policy, etc.)
-If you have insurance, then show documentation of settlement or denial letter from your carrier (have to show proof that are not getting duplicate benefit from your insurance provider )
Additional Things To Consider:
Talk to your agent and ask questions regarding your own personal situation. Ask how to best get the information requested by FEMA from your insurance carrier
Info you need to have readily available when filing for aid:
A current phone number where you can be contacted
Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
Your Social Security number, if available
A general list of damage and losses
If insured, the insurance policy number, or the agent and company name
Insurance claim determination (claim settlement of denial letter)
Additional Assistance Available from SBA:
Disaster assistance may include financial assistance for temporary lodging and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to businesses, homeowners and renters.
Call the SBA at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 800-877-8339) or visit www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.
