Rep. Jon Runyan (R-N.J.) joined a bipartisan group of Senators and House members from New York and New Jersey this week in calling on FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to grant a six month extension for flood insurance claim filings to thousands of homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Sandy-impacted homeowners, under the National Flood Insurance Program, which is managed by FEMA, are required to file a Proof of Loss form – a statement on the amount that the homeowner is claiming under their flood insurance policy – by Oct. 29 to be eligible for flood damage coverage.
Because many families continue to wait for repair work to begin on their homes or only recently became aware of additional expenses at the start of a repair or rebuild, many families have been unable to meet the deadline.
“Our offices are aware of many families who are still waiting for work to begin on their homes,” the group’s letter to Fugate said. “These families could be left homeless indefinitely if they are not able to meet the proof of loss deadline for National Flood Insurance Program claims. As you know, this deadline is a little over a month away and we strongly request that it be extended by an additional six months to accommodate the ongoing recovery needs of our constituents… While we are aware that FEMA has the authority to approve on a case-by-case basis claims submitted after the one year deadline, we believe that a blanket extension for every homeowner should be in place to ensure a fair and proper process for everyone. To deny these claims based purely on the timing of their paperwork pulls the rug out from underneath homeowners who are relying on their flood insurance policies to repair and rebuild their homes.”