Help After a 

Disaster

FEMA Individual Assistance 

Can Help You Recover

10-8-2017

Flood insurance and Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA): 

If your home is located an SFHA, you are required to 

purchase and maintain flood insurance on your property 

as a condition of receiving FEMA disaster assistance. 

Failure to obtain and maintain flood insurance may 

affect your eligibility for future FEMA assistance.

Duration of Assistance: Assistance is provided for up to 

eighteen months from the disaster declaration, but may 

be extended if approved by the State, Tribe, or Territory, 

and FEMA. 

 

Apply for Disaster Assistance

Online: 

Go to www.DisasterAssistance.gov on your 

computer, mobile device, or through the FEMA App 

(www.fema.gov/mobile-app) to register or check the 

status of your application.

By Phone: 

Call 800-621-3362

• You can register in any language. For Spanish, 

press 2.

• If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a 

speech disability and use 711 or VRS, 

call 800-621-3362. TTY: call 800-462-7585

In Person: 

Visit a Disaster Recovery Center. 

• For locations, call 800-621-3362 or visit 

www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

• Disaster Survivor Assistance team members may 

be visiting door-to-door in your area. They will have 

official FEMA photo identification

Learn more about applying for a disaster loan or about 

assistance available from other FEMA partners at: 

www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

What you should know before 

you apply.

Insurance: If you have insurance, you do not have to file 

an insurance claim before applying for FEMA assistance. 

You are encouraged to contact your insurance company 

as soon as possible to start your insurance claim 

process. When you receive your insurance settlement, 

please call FEMA at 800-621-3362 to discuss your 

assistance options.

Inspections: If an inspection is required, a FEMA 

inspector will contact you to schedule an appointment 

to assess your property damage. If you cannot be 

present, another household member over the age 

of eighteen may meet with the inspector. Inspectors 

will have FEMA photo identification and are trained to 

identify damage caused by disasters. Inspectors will not 

physically access certain areas of your home, such as 

crawlspaces, attics, and roofs. Inspectors do not decide 

if you receive FEMA assistance.

Duplication of Benefits: It is important to provide 

accurate insurance information to avoid a duplication of 

FEMA assistance. By law, FEMA cannot give assistance 

for losses addressed by insurance coverage or other 

sources. If you receive FEMA assistance and have 

insurance that covers the same loss, you will be required 

to return the FEMA Assistance.

Financial Assistance Limit: Financial assistance is limited 

to an annually adjusted amount based on the Consumer 

Price Index. The financial assistance limit may be 

reached with a combination of Housing Assistance and 

Other Needs Assistance grant awards.
How can FEMA help you?

Assistance from FEMA may help you and members of 

your household who are affected by a disaster take care 

of necessary expenses and serious needs that cannot 

be met through insurance or other forms of assistance.

Housing Assistance: 

Housing Assistance may be provided financially or 

directly, including:

Rent: Financial assistance to rent temporary housing 

while disaster-caused repairs are made to your primary 

residence, or while transitioning to permanent housing.

Home Repair: Financial assistance for homeowners to 

repair uninsured home damage caused by the disaster. 

The assistance is intended to repair the home to a 

safe and sanitary living or functioning condition.

Home Replacement: Financial assistance for 

homeowners who must replace or rebuild their primary 

residence as a result of the disaster.

Direct Housing: In limited circumstances where 

adequate temporary housing resources are not 

available, FEMA may provide a temporary housing unit 

directly to homeowners and renters.

Other Needs Assistance: 

Other Needs Assistance may be provided 

financially, including:

Personal Property: Assistance to repair or replace 

common household items including, but not limited to, 

furnishings, appliances, and assistive equipment that 

supports daily living activities.

Medical/Dental: Assistance to pay for medical or 

dental expenses caused by the disaster. This includes, 

but is not limited to, hospital and ambulance services, 

and the replacement of medication.

Funeral: Assistance for expenses incurred due to 

a death caused by the disaster. Expenses include, 

but are not limited to, the cost of a casket or urn 

and funeral services.

Childcare: Assistance for increased child care costs as 

a result of the disaster. Eligible expenses include child 

care costs for children aged 13 and under, or children 

aged 14 to 18 with a disability.

Miscellaneous Expenses: Assistance to purchase 

specific items approved by the State, Tribe, or Territory. 

They may include, but are not limited to, items such as 

a wet/dry vacuum, chainsaw, or dehumidifier.

Transportation: Assistance to repair or replace a 

vehicle damaged by the disaster.

Moving & Storage Expenses: Assistance to temporarily 

relocate and store personal property from the 

damaged primary residence while repairs are made.

Eligibility Criteria for Housing and 

Other Needs Assistance:

§ Your disaster losses must be in a Presidentially 

declared disaster area;

§ A member of your household must be a 

United States citizen, a non-citizen national, or 

a qualified alien;

§ Your damaged home is where you live the majority of 

the year;

§ Your home is inaccessible or not livable due to the 

disaster; and

§ You have necessary expenses or serious needs 

as a result of the disaster that are not covered by 

insurance or any other sources.

Additional FEMA assistance programs

Crisis Counseling: Assists individuals and communities 

recovering from the effects of a disaster through 

the provision of community-based outreach and 

educational services.

Disaster Unemployment: Provides unemployment 

benefits and re-employment services to individuals who 

become unemployed as a result of a disaster and are 

not eligible for regular unemployment insurance.

Disaster Legal Services: Provides free legal assistance 

to low income individuals who are otherwise unable 

to secure legal services to meet their disaster 

related needs.

Disaster Case Management: Assists individuals with 

unmet needs caused by the disaster through the 

development and implementation of a Household 

Recovery Plan.

 

Partner Agency Assistance

To meet the needs of disaster survivors, FEMA 

partners with other governmental and non-governmental 

agencies. 

FEMA works with the U.S. Small Business 

Administration to offer low-interest disaster loans to 

homeowners and renters in a declared disaster area. 

You do not need to own a business to apply for a 

disaster loan.