FEMA launches flood insurance call centre pilot program

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the United States said on Monday that they have opened the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) call centre pilot program for policyholders and disaster survivors nationwide.

The call centre is reachable at 1-800-621-3362 and will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT, Monday through Friday. Specialists will be available to assist policyholders with the servicing of their claims, provide general information regarding their policies, and/or offer technical assistance to aid in recovery, FEMA said in a media release.

Call centre staff will be able to answer questions, including questions such as: “How do I file a flood insurance claim? What type of documentation is needed? Can I still obtain disaster assistance even though I have a flood policy?” as well as more complicated insurance questions about the extent of coverage, policy ratings and more. The call centre will also be open to disaster survivors who have general questions about the NFIP.

Storms and floods in Texas and Oklahoma claimed at least 19 lives as of the end of May, damaged thousands of homes and an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 insured vehicles in Texas. Aon Benfield estimated that the spate of thunderstorms and tornadoes in the U.S. in May cost the national economy about US$3 billion, with overall insured losses set to easily exceed US$1 billion, despite low flood insurance penetration in part of Oklahoma and Texas.

The storms, which moved through multiple states, including Texas and Oklahoma, but also Kansas and Arkansas, have already resulted in more than 9,000 claims for Farmers Insurance as of last week, with more than 15,000 expected across nine impacted states.

“Flood insurance provides residents with the ability to protect themselves financially against the most common disaster we see in America,” said Roy Wright, deputy associate administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration, in the media release. “We’re providing this new resource to ensure that the people we serve have another way get information they may need to understand how flood insurance works and how to navigate the claims process. This hotline also provides us with a direct connection to policyholders themselves should they have concerns to report about how their claims are being handled and enabling us to take prompt action to ensure that they receive every dollar they are owed under their policies.”

The media release said that for those who prefer to put their concerns in writing, a “Request for Support” form is posted at www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program, which can be filled out and emailed to FEMA-NFIP-Support@fema.dhs.gov or faxed to (540) 504-2360.