Governor asks FEMA to waive deadline for hurricane victims

(From Texas Governor's Office)

AUSTIN - Gov. Rick Perry has requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) waive, or extend for 180 days, the deadline to file proof of loss requirements for flood insurance policyholders whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Ike. 

Due to the severity and magnitude of the disaster, FEMA granted an extension of the 60-day proof of loss deadline for flood insurance policyholders.  Currently, policyholders are required to file proof of loss by March 12, 2009. An extension would allow Texans the same amount of time to file their claims as was allowed following Hurricane Rita. 

"With so many Texas homes suffering flood damage related to Hurricane Ike and so many families who have not yet been able to rebuild, a deadline of March 12 is unrealistic," Gov. Perry said.  "I urge FEMA to waive or extend the deadline so that Texans with flood insurance have adequate time to file their claims."

Many homes along the Texas coast were flooded with several feet of water, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.  A confluence of factors has led to delays in proof of loss submission for many homeowners.  There has been a shortage of insurance adjusters resulting from the number of flooding events that occurred across the state and nation in 2008.  Also, many damages related to flooding are not immediately apparent, and the full extent of damage is unknown until walls are torn down and sheetrock and flooring are removed.

A waiver of these requirements will expedite payments to homeowners.  If FEMA waives the proof of loss requirements, payments can be made as soon as the insurance adjuster has completed his or her report.  Proof of loss requirements were waived following Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.