[StBernard] FEMA Issues

[Westley Annis]

FEMA Issues 

December 30 , 2005

By: Steve Cannizaro


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Flood insurance appeals process explained; coping with hurricane-related 
stress during holidays; Disaster aid extended until March; state tax relief
available


FEMA EXPLAINS FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM APPEALS PROCESS


BATON ROUGE, La. - A four-step process exists for homeowners to appeal
decisions regarding a claim through the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP) administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The process helps resolve claim issues, but can't give homeowners added
coverage or claim limits beyond those in their NFIP policies.

Step 1
Homeowners should talk with their adjuster, who has more knowledge about the
claim than anyone. If clients don't understand certain decisions regarding
application of coverage, timing of the filing of proof of loss, or the
damage estimate, they should first contact their adjuster.

Step 2
Clients who aren't satisfied with the adjuster's answers, or do not agree
with the decisions, should get contact information for the adjuster's
supervisor. The adjuster should provide contact information.

Step 3
If the adjuster's supervisor can't resolve the issue, clients should contact
the insurance company's claim representative. The insurance agent or another
company representative should provide assistance.

Step 4
Clients with questions or concerns after following the first three steps may
contact FEMA in writing at:

FEMA-Mitigation Division-Room 433
Risk Insurance Branch
Attn: Director of Claims
500 C Street, S.W.
Washington D.C. 20472


FLOOD INSURANCE APPEALS PROCESS 2-2-2

The letter should be written by the named insured as it appears on the NFIP
policy or by a legal representative such as a child handling a claim for an
elderly parent. This representative should clearly identify their
relationship to the named insured. A legal representative may be asked to
provide authorization from the named insured or other legal documents
verifying the relationship.

Six items should be in the letter:

1.      The policy number, as shown as the named insured on the NFIP
policy's
declarations page.
2.      The policyholder's name, as shown as the named insured on the
declarations page.
3.      The property address, as shown on the declarations page. This is NOT
the
person's mailing address if it is different from the property address.
4.      How the claimant can be contacted if they are out of the home.
5.      Specific details of the claimant's concern.
6.      The dates of contact and contact details for the persons with whom
the
claimant has spoken to while completing the first three steps of the appeals
process.

Claimants should also enclose documentation of everything that supports
their appeal such as a detailed list of damaged property and the value of
individual items; supporting photographs; and a contractor's detailed
estimate to repair damages. Comparing contractor and adjuster estimates in
detail may help resolve differences. Claimants should not send original
documents.

Under the NFIP, federally-backed flood insurance is available to homeowners,
renters and business owners in communities that adopt and enforce floodplain
management ordinances to reduce future flood losses by regulating new
construction in high flood-risk areas. More than 4.7 million flood insurance
policies exist in about 20,000 participating communities nationwide,
representing nearly $793 billion worth of coverage. The NFIP is
self-supporting: claims and operating expenses are paid from policyholder
premiums, not taxpayer dollars.

More than 220,000 claims have been made since the Hurricane Katrina struck
Aug. 29 and Hurricane Rita landed Sept. 21, with more than $8 billion
already paid and about 60 percent of claims closed. That includes about
40,000 claims not paid because damage suffered by homes wasn't caused by
flooding or the amount suffered was below the homeowner's deductible.


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COPING WITH HURRICANE-RELATED STRESS DURING THE HOLIDAYS

BATON ROUGE, La. - The holiday season is stressful enough, but, if you add a
devastating hurricane, the loss of a home, family, and a job, it can be
overwhelming. In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, hurricane
victims, including children, are dealing with issues never before faced.

It is important for parents and guardians to know that children can be
particularly vulnerable as a result of any disaster. They may suffer from
anxiety because of disaster losses and a change in family life.

"We realize the strain placed on families affected by the hurricanes," said
Federal Coordinating Officer Scott Wells.  "Their lives have been displaced
in some way or another, and we want hurricane victims to know we are here to
ensure that crisis counseling services are available during this holiday
season."

Some signs to look for if your child may be experiencing stress are:

.       Children five or younger may cry more frequently, have nightmares,
fear
being alone, have an excessive fear of the dark and their appetites may
change.

.       Children five to eleven may be aggressive, seem withdrawn from their
peers, exhibit increased irritability and lose interest in normal
activities.

Some steps to reduce stress in children may be:

.       Encouraging activities. Social time with friends and family is a
very
important part of the recovery process.

.       Reassuring them. Parents can reassure their children by telling them
they
are safe, provide play experiences for them and make bedtime a special
moment for them.

Crisis Counseling continues to be available during the holidays to those who
were affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Referral services and
short-term counseling are available by calling one of the following numbers:
Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-8255
United Healthcare Hotline, 1-866-615-8700
Baton Rouge Area Crisis Line, (225) 924-3900



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LOUISIANA RESIDENTS CAN APPLY FOR DISASTER AID UNTIL MARCH 11


BATON ROUGE, La. - Disaster officials are urging residents of
disaster-designated parishes in Louisiana to take advantage of the 60
additional days they've been given to register for federal and state
financial assistance to help them recover from uninsured or under-insured
losses caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The extension to March 11 was granted by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"As long as we continue to hear from people who need disaster assistance, we
want to make it available," said Scott Wells, the official in charge of
federal recovery operations. "We are renewing our efforts to identify and
reach people who may not have registered for various reasons and need more
time to apply."  To date, FEMA has received more than 1.3 million
applications from Louisiana residents.

FEMA's toll-free registration line continues to take calls around the clock
from affected residents of Louisiana whether they remain in their home state
or have evacuated to other parts of the country.  FEMA also has an online
assistance center at www.fema.gov where individuals can register for
assistance and check on the status of their applications.

For those wishing to apply by phone, the toll-free number is 800-621-FEMA
(3362).  Speech- or hearing-impaired applicants can call the TTY number
800-462-7585. The lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and
multilingual operators are available to take calls.

"There is no reason for anyone who sustained hurricane losses not to make
that call and get whatever assistance they are eligible to receive," said
State Coordinating Officer Col. Jeff Smith.

Officials say in every disaster there are people who don't register because
they have home insurance and don't think they are eligible.  Many later find
damage that was uninsured or under-insured and realize they've missed their
chance at assistance because registration has closed.

Callers will need to supply the following information:

.       Current phone number



LOUISIANA EXTENSION 2-2-2

.       Address at the time of the disaster and current address if different
.       Social Security number
.       A general list of damages and losses suffered
.       Directions to the damaged property
.       Insurance policy number or company and agent's name, if insured
.       General financial information

Once registered, an applicant may be eligible for temporary housing
assistance - such as financial aid for rent or emergency repair grants of up
to $5,200 for homeowners with uninsured or underinsured disaster-related
damages to their primary residence - as well as other disaster-related
expenses not met through insurance or other programs.

Officials also reinforced that individuals seeking assistance from FEMA do
not need to complete a loan application from the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA) in order to be considered for temporary housing
assistance.  FEMA will process applications for housing assistance
regardless of whether the applicant has applied for an SBA loan.
An applicant must complete an SBA loan application to be eligible for
additional assistance under the part of the Other Needs Assistance (ONA)
program that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and
moving and storage expenses. Even so, applicants who do not meet a certain
income threshold may be excused from this requirement. In addition, there
are other ONA grants such as public transportation expenses, medical and
dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses that do not require
individuals to apply for an SBA loan to be eligible.
Voluntary agencies also work with individuals and families on needs not
fully met by state programs, FEMA or SBA.

Officials stressed that disaster assistance is not considered income and is
not taxable.  Disaster grants do not have to be paid back.  Disaster loans
are available through the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan
program at low interest rates.

People who have registered and who need to update or provide additional
information or who have questions about their application can call the same
numbers and press the Help Line option.

For more information about the disaster recovery, go to www.fema.gov

For more information on Louisiana disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or
www.ohsep.louisiana.gov.



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LOUISIANA DISASTER VICTIMS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR SPECIAL TAX RELIEF

BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana residents who suffered losses from Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita may be eligible for special tax relief under legislation
passed earlier this year. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Louisiana Department of Revenue
urge Louisiana taxpayers to contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or a
local tax professional to take advantage of these benefits.

Tax relief is available to individuals throughout Louisiana, though some
relief is specifically targeted to individuals in the most severely impacted
areas. Relief is available for both individuals and business owners, and
includes:

.       The ability to withdraw up to $100,000 without penalty from certain
retirement accounts.
.       Filers who itemize do not have to deduct 10 percent of their
adjusted
gross income and a $100 deductible to claim disaster losses. Filers can
claim up to the full amount of the loss.
.       An option to file an amended 2004 return, or to claim your losses on
your
2005 tax return.

The Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 also provides tax relief for
individuals who provided assistance to disaster victims. Individuals who
took in hurricane victims are also eligible for tax relief. This includes a
$500 deduction for each person they housed for at least 60 days, up to
$2,000 dollars per year. The act also raises the rate for mileage deductions
for the use of personal vehicles for charitable purposes and lifts the cap
on charitable deductions made through the end of 2005.

Taxpayers in the most severely affected parishes also have extended
deadlines to file amended returns or quarterly taxes. For specific
information about what tax benefits are available to each individual, FEMA
encourages Louisianians to contact the IRS at www.irs.gov or at a toll-free
hotline established to help hurricane victims with tax matters,
1-866-562-522