Homeowners insurance claims from West should be sent to FEMA if unresolved

West Texas fertilizer plant explosion - homeowners insurance

Officials are urging residents to send their claim paperwork to the organization for assistance.

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have made an announcement to the residents of West who were affected by the blast and who have unresolved or declined auto, business, or homeowners insurance claims.

FEMA is seeking the settlement or denial letters for its Disaster Recovery Center to send federal aid.

They are asking business, auto, and homeowners insurance policyholders to send this documentation sooner, rather than later, so that the federal aid claims can move forward as soon and as quickly aWest Texas fertilizer plant explosion - homeowners insurances possible. A spokesperson for FEMA, Susan Soloman, explained that if the right paperwork is not submitted, then the agency’s claim processing is forced to stop.

The agency wishes to reiterate to homeowners insurance customers that assistance is only available when the claims can be processed.

The federal assistance is there and FEMA is hoping to be able to process the claims very quickly for homeowners insurance customers, so that they can receive the funding they need to rebuild, but these claims can be processed only when the right documentation has been submitted. Once the claim has been made, it is important to submit copies of the settlement or the denial so that the federal claim will be able to continue to move forward.

Solomon stated that “What we are seeing is once people register with FEMA . . . they are not bringing that copy of the insurance letter to FEMA to make a record.” She added that “Until that is done, your application for disaster assistance from FEMA doesn’t go anywhere in the system.”

Though the aid provided by FEMA doesn’t have the resources to provide the same amount of coverage that would be offered through homeowners insurance, agency documents specify that if the policy of a resident doesn’t cover all of his or her needs following a disaster, then this may lead to eligibility for added assistance.

Solomon pointed out that the West Disaster Recovery Center workers can also assist homeowners insurance customers in West to be able to file for a disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration and can help to open up other channels for federal assistance.