By Staff
From staff reports
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) this week urged individuals awaiting insurance settlements to apply for disaster assistance as soon as possible.
Insured individuals affected by the hurricane may call FEMA's toll-free number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) to apply. Persons who are speech- or hearing-impaired can call 1-800-462-7585 for TTY service. Phone lines are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Individuals may also apply online at www.fema.gov. The deadline to apply for assistance has been extended to March 3.
Likewise, disaster victims with insurance should not wait for their insurance settlement before applying to the SBA. If they do not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, the SBA will consider making a loan for the full amount of the loss, up to its loan limits, providing the borrower agrees that insurance proceeds will be used to pay off or reduce the amount of the SBA loan. In addition, completing the SBA loan packet enables applicants to be considered for other forms of assistance beyond a low-interest SBA disaster loan.