# FEMA how long does it take to receive flood insurance money to repair home?



## dixie (Jun 26, 2016)

Son has flood insurance and has filed all the paper work with FEMA. How long does FEMA normally take to pay so he can get his home repaired?


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## Roger830 (Jun 26, 2016)

Some are still waiting since storm Sandy almost 4 years ago.


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## dixie (Jun 26, 2016)

Oh No!! Having flood insurance takes that long


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## bogey21 (Jun 26, 2016)

My Daughter had a flood insurance claim when her house was severely damaged by a hurricane in Galveston, TX a couple of years ago.  It took well over a year as they haggled for about 6 months with FEMA over the amount.  

Get this though.  The amount they were arguing about (which they ultimately won)  was about $2,000, something like the difference between $20,000 and the $18,000 FEMA was offering.  During the entire time they were arguing with one arm of FEMA another arm of FEMA was spending about $875 per month to house them in a condo.  Go figure.

George


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## pittle (Jun 26, 2016)

My first thought was - 2-3 times longer than most people think.  Then my 2nd thought was - but since it is the government doing it, so it will take about 10 times as long as you would expect.  Bureaucracy is the pits! I am not surprised that it could take more than a year.  We had a car rental claim that took 6 months to settle & that was for a rock hitting the windshield and creating a crack last fall.  We have insurance for that on our policy here in AZ and our agent said no problem, but the Texas adjusters did not recognize that.  If we had to add a government agency into the equation, it would still be up in the air.

Best of luck to them and they may have to go ahead and start work on repairs using a loan,  credit card or savings that they can pay back when they get the money.  We had to do that when we had a washer hose break and flood the kitchen and basement - we started repairs before the insurance money actually came in.


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## cgeidl (Jun 29, 2016)

*Depends on your insurance company.*

If federal government you could build a new home before a claim is settled.
I have had five insurance claims in 52 years with my insurance company and all were settled very fast and fairly. I had a policy with another insurance company and it was way too lengthy.


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## dixie (Jul 20, 2016)

Still the flood insurance has not paid a dime... Anyone out there work for FEMA? or know someone that does? These people have been paying a lot every month for flood insurance and the adjuster came out and still they are waiting to have their home fixed. They are not even giving them money for a hotel or restaurants.... What is the use in paying to have flood insurance when they wait weeks and weeks to pay any money.
It is really pitiful.


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## ibcnu (Jul 20, 2016)

I am so sorry to hear this.  We were hit by Hurricane Sandy too.  Once the adjuster came out and a price was agreed on between the adjuster and my flood insurance company, the money was received fairly quickly.  You could call and ask for a percentage be sent to you to begin repairs.  I believe that's what we had to do.  

Because we had flood insurance, FEMA would not pay to house us temporarily elsewhere nor replace the vehicles, we also did not have contents insurance.  My sister, on the other hand, who rented and had NO flood insurance, was given money for temporary housing AND money to buy new vehicles and furniture.

Don't get me started on FEMA!  They came to the house immediately, took all of our information, and then dropped s like a hot potato.


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## dixie (Jul 20, 2016)

So in your opinion it is better not to have flood insurance?? I feel so sorry for these people that pay for flood insurance and then wait weeks to receive the money...


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## Justin Bennett (Jan 14, 2017)

I think if you directly go to your insurance company they can take time. So, it is better to first contact public adjusters near your area, who can assist you in fulfilling your responsibilities imposed upon you by your own policy. They can help you with money negotiation, which will be helpful for you. You can try this to get your insurance money faster.


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## vacationhopeful (Jan 14, 2017)

Justin Bennett said:


> I think if you directly go to your insurance company they can take time. So, it is better to first contact public adjusters near your area, who can assist you in fulfilling your responsibilities imposed upon you by your own policy. They can help you with money negotiation, which will be helpful for you. You can try this to get your insurance money faster.



Your experience? I have found PA to be a undesirable element taking a LARGE percentage of the owner's benefit payment (10% or more) ... as insurance policies do NOT pay this cost.

I recommend a well vetted general contractor who prepares a DETAIL estimate in advance along with reviewing the cost of damages offered by YOUR insurance adjuster. And getting 2 or more bids with HOME OWNER doing some leg work to check references and other jobs this particular contractor has FINISHED ... not just undertaken.

Board up costs (to stablize the property, reduce weather damage and keep vandals out) is a separate option action ... which MOST insurance companies immediately authorize and will pay for.

Your experience?


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## dixie (Jan 14, 2017)

It took 5 1/2 months to receive any money from FEMA! Since this was his first flood he did hire an adjuster to work with FEMA. The estimate the adjuster though was accurate was about $50,000 more than what FEMA paid. We do not think he stayed working on or really helped with FEMA. He had to continually remind the adjuster and demand that he find out what was taking so long and why he was so off on his estimate for restoration... That was my sons experience. It was an awful experience. FEMA didn't help until many people lost their homes.







vacationhopeful said:


> Your experience? I have found PA to be a undesirable element taking a LARGE percentage of the owner's benefit payment (10% or more) ... as insurance policies do NOT pay this cost.
> 
> I recommend a well vetted general contractor who prepares a DETAIL estimate in advance along with reviewing the cost of damages offered by YOUR insurance adjuster. And getting 2 or more bids with HOME OWNER doing some leg work to check references and other jobs this particular contractor has FINISHED ... not just undertaken.
> 
> ...


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## Deb & Bill (Jan 14, 2017)

It may depend on the number of claims filed for that particular flood.  When we were flooded in 2008, it only took about a month or less from the date we were flooded to get a check.  We only had partial damage, so our check was around $65,000.  We were able to hire various subcontractors to do the various jobs after we paid off the company who did the clean up. Within four months our house was completely fixed.

We started with getting a contractor to give us a bid, but one took too long and was more interested in getting us more money from FEMA and the others were too high.  We got our own contractors to do the sheetrock, flooring, plumbing, etc and State Farm helped us get someone to clean up the mess.  The damage appraising only took about a week to get scheduled and a report back to us after the cleanup which took about a week to remove the damaged stuff and dry the house out.

We stayed in local hotels for about 12 nights and moved back into the house once it was cleaned out.  We lived in it while it was being renovated.


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## pedro47 (Jan 15, 2017)

Dumb question why does it takes so long to pay a claim? Flood insurance is not cheap, why so much red tape? Also, sounds liked homeowners needs a class in how to fill out a FEMA claim. The fed's needs to fix and address these problems in their  system.


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## bogey21 (Jan 15, 2017)

One of the reasons it took so long with my Daughter in Galveston is that the local Government pretty much inspected every house in order to determine which had to be demolished and which were approved for repair.  FEMA had to wait for this determination for her house.  Thus there was a long delay before her dispute with FEMA could even start.

George


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