What If I Don’t Have Insurance? Will The Federal Government Help Me?

The Federal Emergency Relief Agency (FEMA) provides several forms of relief, including

• ‘Housing Needs’ (such as temporary housing, reconstruction, etc.);
• ‘Other Housing Needs’ (such as disaster-related medicals, clothing, heating, etc.);
• Other emergency needs as provided by FEMA
• ICC = “Increase Cost of Compliance” relief is available when you have substantial damage to your home (over 50%) and are required to fix or elevate your home to comply with a local or national flood plan; you need to have Engineering or Architect’s Report to get such relief;

FEMA ‘Housing Needs’ includes such things as

• Temporary Housing (through the FEMA Housing Portal);
• Repair;
• Replacement;
• Permanent or Semi-Permanent Housing Construction.

To receive money or help for Housing Needs that are the result of a disaster, all the following must be true:

• You have losses in an area that has been declared a disaster by the President.
• Insurance benefits and damage to your property not covered or insufficient.
• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.
• You have a valid Social Security Number.
• The home in the disaster area is where you usually live and where you were living at the time of the disaster.
• You are not able to live in your home now, you cannot get to your home due to the disaster, or your home requires repairs because of damage from the disaster.

However, you still may not get the relief (i.e., not be eligible for Housing Needs assistance) if:

• You have other, adequate rent-free housing (rental property not occupied).
• Your home that was damaged is your secondary or vacation residence.
• Your expenses resulted only from leaving your home as a precaution and you were able to return to your home immediately after the incident.
• You have refused assistance from your insurance provider(s).
• Your only losses are business losses (including farm business other than the farmhouse and self-employment) or items not covered by this program.
• The damaged home where you live is located in a designated flood hazard area and your community is not participating in the National Flood Insurance Program.

Other Housing Needs include such things as

• Clothing; household items (room furnishings, appliances); tools (specialized or protective clothing and equipment) required for your job; necessary educational materials (computers, school books, supplies).
• Moving and storage expenses related to the disaster (moving and storing property to avoid additional disaster damage while disaster-related repairs are being made to the home).
• Disaster-related medical and dental expenses.
• Disaster-related damage to a vehicle.
• Clean-up items (wet/dry vacuum, dehumidifier).
• Disaster-related funeral and burial expenses.
• Fuels for primary heat source (heating oil, gas).
• Other necessary expenses or serious needs determined by FEMA.
• Other expenses that are authorized by law.

To receive money for Other than Housing Needs that are the result of a disaster, all the following must be true:

• You have losses in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the President.
• You have filed for insurance benefits and the damage to your property is not covered by your insurance or your insurance settlement is insufficient to meet your losses.
• You or someone who lives with you is a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.
• You have necessary expenses or serious needs because of the disaster.
• You have accepted assistance from all other sources for which you are eligible, such as insurance proceeds or Small Business Administration disaster loans.

Even if you have insurance, you may recover from FEMA for such things as if:

• Insurance settlement is insufficient to meet disaster-related needs. If you have no insurance or if you received the maximum settlement from insurance and still have an unmet disaster-related need, and in some cases to meet your deductible, you can write a letter to FEMA indicating the unmet disaster-related need. Must include documentation from insurance company.
• Insurance settlement is delayed. Delayed means a decision on their insurance settlement has been delayed longer than 30-days from the time they filed the claim. Explain in writing to FEMA with documentation from insurance company. Any help awarded to you by FEMA would be considered an advance and must be repaid to FEMA.
• Exhausted the Additional Living Expenses (ALE) provided by your insurance company. If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance for Additional Living Expenses (Loss of Use) and still need help.
• Unable to locate rental resources in your area. The FEMA Helpline has a list of rental resources in the disaster area (a portal). If no resources are available in your county, then the Helpline agent can provide resources in an adjacent county.

More Information:

• Common Forms Of Tropical Storm And Hurricane Damages
• What Should I Do After A Hurricane?
• What Does My Insurance Cover?
• What Can I Do To Make Sure I Have Sufficient Insurance Coverage?
• Common Tactics Insurance Company Use To Avoid Paying
• How Long Does It Take To Resolve A Property Damage Claim In Florida? Is There A Time Limit For Insurance Companies?