The first source of disaster relief for a person whose damaged property is covered by an insurance policy should be their insurance provider. The second major source of help is FEMA's IHP (Individual and Household Program).

FEMA has set up two Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Mississippi. One is at Old American Thrift at 3164 Bienville Boulevard in Ocean Springs. The second center is in Pascagoula. Other DRCs will be opening shortly in other areas. The DRCs will be open each day of the week from 8am - 6pm pending further notice.

People encouraged to register for assistance by contacting FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). You can ask follow-up questions or check your claim's status at one of the Disaster Recovery Centers.

IHP, which can provide cash grants of up to $26,200 per household or individual, offers services to people in a disaster area when insurance does not cover the losses and property that has been destroyed or damaged. You have to meet certain requirements to be eligible for assistance.

Limitations

IHP does not cover every single loss of damage to your home, household goods, or personal property that occurred because of a disaster. IHP is not meant to restore your damaged property to its original state from before the disaster occurred. In certain instances, IHP can only provide enough funds, up to the program limits, to allow you to send back an item to service. IHP does not provide coverage for business-related losses resulting from a disaster. The law says that IHP is not allowed to give money to you if your insurance covers those losses.

Applying for IHP

Only people in places that have been designated as federal disaster areas can apply for IHP. Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) if you are speech or hearing impaired. You can also register online. Weekends or after 6pm are the best times to call. If you want more information after registering by phone, you can visit a Disaster Recovery Center where federal, state, local, and voluntary agencies can help you.

Make sure you have the information on this list ready to give to the person that answers your phone call:

1. A description of your losses
2. Your social security number
3. Directions to your damaged property
4. Any insurance details
5. A telephone number where you can be reached.

The Process

An inspector will contact you to schedule an appointment within a few days of your registration. The inspection is free of charge. Although inspectors are not FEMA employees—they are contractors—they will have a FEMA ID.

You have to be there when the inspector visits. Make sure that you have the following information on hand:

1. Evidence of ownership (tax records, the deed, your dwelling's insurance policy, or a mortgage payment book showing that you are the owner)
2. Proof of occupancy (any first-class government mail that has been sent to you at the address within the last three months or recent utility bills that are in your name for the address)

You will be asked by the inspector to sign a form granting FEMA authority to verify the information that you have given them. Your inspector will not determine whether you are eligible, but he or she will file your report. IHP will send you a letter within 10 days of your visit to let you know its decision regarding your request for assistance. If you are eligible, the letter, which will let you know what the funds can be used for, will either be followed by a check from the State/US Treasury or deposited as cash into your bank account.

If your request for aid is not approved, the letter will explain why, and you will be told how you can appeal the decision. If the letter refers you to the Small Business Administration, you will get an application.

Money

If you receive a check, you can use the funds to pay for the following housing needs:

1. Sewer or septic system
2. Structural parts of your house, such as outside walls, the roof, and the foundation
3. Ceilings, floors, doors, windows, cabinetry, and walls
4. A well or another water system
5. Ventilation, heating, and air conditioning systems
6. Utilities, including plumbing, electric, and gas systems
7. Exit ways and the entrance to your home; this includes any privately owned access roads
8. Anchoring, leveling, and blocking a mobile home and resetting or reconnecting its water, sewer, fuel, and electrical tanks and lines.

You can also use the money to repair or pay for: disaster-related burial and funeral costs, dental and medical costs, and damaged vehicles; household goods, clothes, home furniture, tools, appliances, protective or specialized clothes, work equipment, required educational supplies (such as school books, supplies, computers), fuels needed for your primary heat source, and other serious or needed expenses as determined by FEMA.

Eligibility

To receive assistance or money for household needs: 1) Your losses must have occurred in an area declared a disaster area by the U.S. president. 2) Your insurance benefits cannot cover your damages. 3) You or someone you reside with has to be a U.S. citizen, a qualified alien, or a non-citizen national. 4) The damaged home is your usual place of residence or where you were living when the disaster took place. 5) Your residence is now unlivable, and it either needs major repairs or you cannot get to it. 6) You have incurred serious or necessary expenses because of the disaster. 7) You have agreed to receive help from every other source that you are eligible for, including SBA loans and insurance proceeds.

Why You May Not Be Eligible for IHP Assistance

1. You have rent-free housing that you can use and is adequate.
2. Your damaged home is a vacation home or a secondary residence.
3. You incurred expenses only because you left your home as a precaution.
4. You refused to accept help from your insurance provider.
5. The only losses you have are items not covered by IHP assistance or business losses.
6. The damaged home that you reside in is in a designated flood hazard zone, and your community is not taking part in the National Flood Insurance Program. In this situation, flood damage to your residence would not be covered, but you might be able to qualify for items not covered by flood insurance (septic systems, water wells, funeral costs, medical or dental expenses) or for rental assistance.

Source: www.fema.gov