US Makes 1st New Payments To Sandy Victims After Review
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The federal government has started making new payments to victims of Superstorm Sandy after a review found that some policyholders were not paid what they were due from the National Flood Insurance Program.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday that payments are now going out.
After Sandy slammed into New York and New Jersey in October 2012, many homeowners complained that the flood insurance assessors were underestimating their damage.
In March, U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer of New York met with FEMA administrator Craig Fugate to talk about the problem. In May, FEMA sent letters to 142,000 policyholders in areas hit by the storm, notifying them that they could ask for their cases to be reopened.
FEMA says that more than 10,000 policyholders have asked the agency to review their claim files so far.
The deadline to apply for a review is Sept. 15, and the government says the process usually takes about 90 days from the time a policyholder requests a review.
Requests can be made at www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims or by phone at 866-337-4262.
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