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Filing for Federal Disaster Assistance: Tips for Homeowners

Relief funds from the federal government — the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) — can be an important resource to help you recover from a natural disaster.

Applying for relief requires close attention to details and deadlines. Here we offer some practical information for navigating the process.

Applying for Assistance

Important: To protect your eligibility for relief, you must register with FEMA within 60 days of your county’s Major Disaster Declaration. You can check your status on FEMA's website.

  1. File a homeowners claim (and flood claim, if applicable) with your existing insurers as soon as possible to protect your eligibility for FEMA and SBA assistance. The National Flood Insurance Program website has resources on filing flood claims.
  2. Don’t wait for a decision on your homeowners insurance — register with FEMA and file your insurance claim at the same time. See FEMA registration information below.
  3. Call your mortgage servicer (the company that receives your mortgage payments) to inform them about any insurance claims, or and let them know if you are having trouble making your payments. They may be able to help. If you have an SHCU mortgage, call our Mortgage Support team at 844.218.7380 for help with insurance questions, or call our Mortgage Loss Mitigation team at 800.747.3209 if you think you will have trouble making your monthly payment.
  4. Take pictures of all damage sustained and don’t throw anything away until FEMA has inspected your property. 
  5. Keep receipts for your expenses, including hotels and supplies, as you may need them for at least three years to document your expenses.  
  6. After registering with FEMA, you will likely receive a loan application from SBA in the mail. Please fill out the application, even if you do not want the loan. Doing so keeps all of your options open and make sure that you are eligible for all aspects of FEMA aid.

See more details about what to expect when applying for FEMA and SBA relief and filing insurance claims.

 

Disaster Relief

General Tips When Applying for Assistance

  • Always appeal denials. You can and should appeal a decision if you are denied or if the grant amount is insufficient. FEMA considers a denial to be the start of a conversation.
  • Do not be discouraged if you receive a denial during the process — appeals are part of the process and you may appeal any decision.
  • Always answer all questions fully and truthfully. You can be prosecuted for fraud if you don’t.
  • Be your own advocate. You can’t get assistance for losses and needs that your insurance company, FEMA or SBA don’t know about.


FEMA Registration

Register with FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov, or call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362 between 7 AM and 10 PM (TTY: 800-462-7585). Multilingual operators are available (for Spanish, press 2).  You may also register at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC).