FEMA representative shares reasons why applications could be denied - WESH 2 Orlando

EXTENDED FORECAST COMING UP IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IMPACTED BY HURRICANE IAN’S RECORD-BREAKING FLOODING DID NOT HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE AND NOW THEY’RE HOPING TO GET SOME HELP FROM FEMA BUT SOME LOCALS HAVE BEEN DENIED ASSISTANCE WHILE SHE’S MAKING MULATTO JOINS US LIVE FROM ONE OF FEMA’S DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS AND MEGA YOU SPOKE WITH THE FEMA REP WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. THEY SAY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS AS TO WHY YOU’RE A FEMA ASSISTANCE APPLICATION COULD BE DENIED. THEY ALSO TELL US THAT THE VERY FIRST STEP AFTER RECEIVING A DENIAL A DENIAL NOTICE SHOULD BE FIGURING OUT WHY. IF THEY HAD DAMAGE FROM HURRICANE IAN, AND THEY’RE IN A DESIGNATED COUNTY. THEN THEY SHOULD MAKE APPLICATION WITH FEMA FEMA SPOKESPERSON. JAN TRACY SAYS FEMA OFFICIALS WILL DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF ASSISTANCE CAN BE PROVIDED BASED ON EACH APPLICATION, BUT THERE ARE MANY REASONS AND APPLICATION COULD BE DENIED. WE WENT OVER THE MOST COMMON POSSIBILITIES. THE FIRST ONE IS SIMPLE A MISTAKE ON AN APPLICATION OR MISSING DOCUMENTATION. YOU COULD ALSO BE DENIED IF YOU ALREADY HAVE INSURANCE COVERAGE FEMA DOES NOT DUPLICATE INSURANCE. SO AN APPLICANT NEEDS TO FIRST FILE A CLAIM WITH THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY. AND THEN FEMA MAY STEP IN WHEN WHEN INSURANCE COMPANY HAS PAID OUT ON THE CLAIM AND THEN THERE’S SOMETHING THAT THERE YOU STILL HAVE A LOSS THEN FEMA MAY BE ABLE TO STEP IN ANOTHER POSSIBILITY THE DAMAGE MAY NOT RISE TO THE LEVEL THAT’S NECESSARY FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE OR THE PROPERTY ON THE APPLICATION ISN’T THE APPLICANT’S PRIMARY RESIDENCE. THAT’S PROBABLY SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE ENCOUNTER. A LOT IN FLORIDA BECAUSE THERE’S SO MANY SECOND HOMES HERE. VACATION HOMES, OR PART-TIME RESIDENTS AND FEMA ONLY COVERS PRIMARY RESIDENTS LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE FIFTH REASON. NOT NECESSARILY IN ORDER BECAUSE THIS ONE’S A BIGGIE THE INSPECTOR COULD NOT GET A HOLD OF THE APPLICANT. TRACY SAYS GENERALLY HOLMES HAVE TO BE INSPECTED BEFORE APPLICATIONS ARE APPROVED. SO IF THE INSPECTOR CAN’T GET A HOLD OF THE APPLICANT WHICH HAPPENS OFTEN WHEN RESIDENTS ARE DISPLACED THEN NOTHING CAN BE DONE UNTIL THE INSPECTION HAPPENS. NOW ALL OF THAT BEING SAID IT IS POSSIBLE TO APPEAL YOUR DENIAL NOTICE BY WRITING A LETTER TO FEMA WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECEIVING THAT NOTICE. THAT LETTER DOES NEED TO INCLUDE DOCUMENTATION LIKE YOUR IDENTIFICATION PROOF OF RESIDENCY PROOF OF OCCUPANCY AND OWNERSHIP AS WELL AS THE DISASTER NUMBER WHICH FOR HURRICANE IAN. THAT NUMBER IS FOUR SIX SEVEN THREE.