Grants of up to $50,000 to be Available to Eligible Homeowners in Allegany, Delaware, Franklin, Steuben, and St. Lawrence Counties to Address Health and Safety-Related Repairs Not Covered by Insurance or Other Disaster Relief Programs
Department of Financial Services to Deploy to Affected Communities and Extend Hotline Hours to Assist Residents and Business Owners with Insurance-Related Questions
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Working with Impacted Counties to Assess Damage for Potential Federal Disaster Relief
Governor Kathy Hochul announced emergency assistance to support homeowners impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Debby. At Governor Hochul’s direction, New York Homes and Community Renewal is launching an emergency repair program for homeowners in Allegany, Delaware, Franklin, Steuben, and St. Lawrence Counties impacted by the storm. Additionally, staff from the New York State Department of Financial Services will be deployed to impacted communities to support residents and businesses with financial services questions. As these state-based resources are deployed, disaster recovery experts from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services have begun working with their local counterparts to assess damage statewide in order to determine the state’s ability to request federal disaster relief resources from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“State agencies have teams on the ground helping to clear damage and we are working with our local partners as they begin damage assessments,” Governor Hochul said. “We will continue to provide rapid relief for impacted residents and municipalities as these communities rebuild from the devastating remnants of Hurricane Debby.”
Under the HCR program, Homeowners will be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to fund or reimburse certain qualifying health and safety related repairs to address damage caused by the storm that are not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs. Applicants must be homeowners who occupy the home as a primary residence and total household income may not exceed 100 percent of the county area median income. Homeowners in other counties may become eligible as state and local recovery agencies conduct damage assessments in the coming days.
The program will be administered by local partners who will work directly with affected homeowners and assist them with insurance claims, the repair and reconstruction process and reimbursement requests. Eligible homeowners interested in applying may inquire here.
Additionally, staff from the New York State Department of Financial Services will be staffing resource centers to support residents and businesses with financial services questions, including insurance information regarding policy coverage for losses. The Department is also extending the hours of its Disaster Hotline to provide similar support to those unable to visit a resource center. Impacted residents and businesses can call 800-339-1759. Exact locations of resource centers will be announced in the coming days.
Other resources and advice for impacted families and businesses include steps to help ensure that claims are processed promptly, as well as information on how to file a complaint if policyholders cannot resolve disputes with insurers.
File Claims Promptly – Homeowners who experienced property losses are urged to file insurance claims with their insurers promptly and as soon as possible after losses occur. It is important to provide policy numbers if possible and all information relevant to the loss. To best document losses, homeowners should take photos or videos showing the extent of the losses before cleaning up damage.
Making Necessary Repairs – Homeowners should protect their property from further damage after a loss, but should make only repairs necessary to prevent further damage to property, like covering broken windows. Permanent repairs should not be made until after insurers have inspected losses.
Keep Records of Dealings with Insurance Representatives – Homeowners should cooperate fully with their insurers and keep a diary of all conversations with insurance representatives, including the representatives' names, as well as the times and dates of all calls or visits. They should also follow up in writing with representatives to document their understanding of any conversations they have had with the representatives.
Inventory Your Belongings – Provide your insurer with a detailed room-by-room inventory of damaged personal items and property. Include receipts, such as credit card statements or other documents showing the items' values.
Flood Damage – Homeowners are reminded that flood damage is generally only covered by flood insurance, which is a federal program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Homeowners who have flood insurance and have flood damage should make claims through that insurance. Additionally, homeowners should also read their policies carefully to make sure they understand what damage is covered and under what circumstances. For additional on flood insurance, please visit the Flood Insurance Resource Center on the DFS website at http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/flood_info.htm.
Keep Your Receipts If You Relocate During Repairs – If you need to temporarily relocate while your home is being repaired, make sure to keep receipts and other records of your expenses during that time.
Filing Complaints – Homeowners unable to resolve disputes with their insurers may contact DFS to file a complaint at the following website location, http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/fileacomplaint.htm. DFS investigates all complaints it receives.
Information on Homeowners' Insurance – Additional information can be found at the Homeowners Resource Center on the Department of Financial Services' website at: http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/home_resources.ht
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