FEMA Denial Letter May Not Mean Denial Of Assistance 

Release Date: October 23, 2005
Release Number: 1603-107

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BATON ROUGE, La. — Some Louisiana victims of Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita may be getting the wrong message after receiving a letter from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA wants residents who receive a letter saying an applicant has been denied for assistance to know this letter may represent only one step in the process to receive aid.

"When Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were first declared eligible for federal disaster assistance, applications were received from individuals in parishes that had not yet been disaster-declared," said Vice Admiral Thad Allen, principal federal official and federal coordinating officer for the hurricane recovery effort. "Disaster victims who received a letter saying their application has been denied because their home is not in the disaster area need not register a second time. If their parish is declared, the application immediately becomes active."

Applicants should stay in contact with FEMA. They are urged to call the FEMA Helpline after their insurance claim is settled. FEMA cannot duplicate what private insurance already covers, or pay any deductibles. In some cases, FEMA may be able to help with uninsured losses. It is important to register with FEMA now. Insurance settlements can take several months to process and finalize. The deadline to register with FEMA has been extended to Jan. 11, 2006.

Disaster victims who need to contact FEMA to register for disaster assistance, or who need information about an application they have already filed, may do so by calling the FEMA Helpline 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). People with speech- or hearing-impairment can call (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. These lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice. Internet registration is available at www.fema.gov.

Any applicant who receives a letter from FEMA stating that a claim for federal assistance has been denied because of insurance coverage should contact his/her insurance agent and request a "delay of settlement" letter. A copy of the letter should be mailed to FEMA at the address provided in the letter of denial.

To appeal a decision, the applicant should mail insurance settlement information, as well as any new or pertinent paperwork to FEMA. It is important to have your letter of appeal postmarked within sixty days of the date on the decision letter. Remember to date your letter of appeal. Letters of appeal should be mailed to the following address:

FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

Or you can fax appeals to:

1-800-827-8112
Attention: FEMA - Individuals & Households Program

Applicants making an appeal should be aware of the following:

If additional information about a case is needed, an applicant or other person from the same household may request a copy of paperwork by writing to:

FEMA – Records Management
National Processing Service Center
P.O. Box 10055
Hyattsville, MD 20782-7055

If someone outside of the household is requesting the information by submitting a request on behalf of the applicant, the request must contain a signed letter by the applicant giving authorization.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Monday, 24-Oct-2005 08:24:21