Florida couple raise concerns, questions after $30,000 FEMA flood insurance check failed to clear — twice

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When Hurricane Helene tore done Ruskin, Florida, successful 2024, Robert Paul and his woman mislaid astir everything. Their location was destroyed, and similar galore Americans, they turned to their security supplier for alleviation — and were relieved erstwhile their $30,000 assertion was rapidly approved.

But that alleviation rapidly turned to frustration. The colony cheque from the National Flood Insurance Program bounced — twice.

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The archetypal time, officials blamed a slope switch. The 2nd time, the slope refused to resubmit the cheque altogether. “It again came backmost arsenic nary good,” Paul told WFLA, “so present the slope has told america they volition not resubmit [the check].”

It’s the benignant of script nary 1 wants to woody with successful the aftermath of a disaster. So what happened next? And did the Pauls ever get the wealth they needed to marque repairs? Here’s what happened, and what you tin bash if you find yourself successful a akin situation.

Did the household get their money?

Yes — but lone aft a caller cheque was issued.

At the extremity of April, representatives told Paul to expect a caller cheque successful the mail, which helium could past cash.

Until the cheque cleared, Paul and his woman had to hold to statesman repairs connected their home.

In Florida, it’s communal for homes successful definite areas to flood aft hurricanes, which makes flood security essential.

What is the National Flood Insurance Program?

The National Flood Insurance Program, oregon NFIP, is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It partners with astir 50 insurers to connection policies to homeowners and renters who privation extortion from floods.

Since astir modular homeowners security policies don’t screen flood damage, galore homeowners, renters and adjacent businesses acquisition sum done the NFIP, provided they unrecorded successful a qualifying area.

Policies typically screen up to $100,000 for your belongings and $250,000 for harm to your property. If your spot is successful a high-risk flood area, you’re required to acquisition flood insurance.

While nary 1 wants to woody with flood damage, you’ll request to enactment with your security institution to record a claim. It’s important to papers the harm and record a assertion arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Once an security adjuster assesses the claim, you tin commencement repairs — oregon hold for the cheque to arrive. But arsenic Paul and his woman discovered, that process doesn’t ever spell smoothly.

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What to bash if you tally into a akin issue

First, effort to enactment calm. After a large storm, it’s earthy to privation to commencement repairs close away.

In the meantime, reappraisal your security program to spot if you’re eligible for further claims oregon if more documentation mightiness assistance your case. Insurance adjusters volition fto you cognize if much visits are required, which could hold your claim.

If your cheque bounces, interaction your security institution instantly and travel their instructions.

Use your harm estimation to commencement getting quotes from contractors.

If you tin spend it — and if your insurer approves — you mightiness take to wage retired of pouch portion you hold for the check. If not, you whitethorn person to wait, assuming you tin inactive unrecorded successful your home. This acquisition whitethorn besides beryllium a accidental to program amended for the future.

While you can’t debar floods oregon spot damage, you tin amended support yourself financially. Consider mounting speech savings successful a abstracted exigency oregon catastrophe fund. That way, erstwhile the unexpected happens, you’ll person immoderate currency to assistance you grip the situation.