Frequently Asked Questions About Disasters

By law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits provided through insurance. Many insurance policies include Additional Living Expenses (ALE) or Loss of Use (LOU) coverage, which provides money to cover lodging costs when you are unable to live in your home due to a disaster. If your insurance does not include ALE or LOU, or if the money provided by your insurance does not cover all your lodging expenses, you can submit your insurance documentation to FEMA to be considered for Lodging Expense Reimbursement.

FEMA may be able to provide Lodging Expense Reimbursement (LER)  for out-of-pocket lodging expenses, but only if these expenses are not covered through other means, such as insurance.

To be considered for LER, you must meet basic eligibility criteria for assistance and FEMA must verify that your home is unlivable, inaccessible, or affected by an extended disaster-caused utility outage. You must also submit verifiable documentation, such as receipts, of your lodging expenses.

Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) is a FEMA program that allows for temporary, short-term accommodations for eligible applicants when other housing options are not available.

FEMA Home Repair Assistance is money to repair your primary home that you own and live in if it was damaged by a disaster and not covered by insurance or other means. The amount of assistance provided is based on damage verified by FEMA during inspection. Home Repair Assistance is limited and is intended to make the home livable; it is not intended to fully restore the home to its pre-disaster condition.

Yes. After taking photos and documenting damage, you should immediately throw away flooded items that pose a health risk, such as perishable food items, clothing, cushions, and pillows.

Through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), FEMA may provide funds to address damage from mold.   If you are a homeowner, you may receive Home Repair funds for clean up, removal, or remediation of disaster-caused mold. To be eligible for this assistance, FEMA must verify that you are unable to live in your home because of the disaster-caused mold damage. 

If your home received minor damage from the disaster and FEMA determines you can still live safely in your home, renters and homeowners may be eligible for Clean and Sanitize Assistance.  This assistance is only available in certain disasters and is intended to provide you with limited funds to prevent additional loss and potential health and safety concerns, such as mold growth.  

National Flood Insurance Program flood insurance policies will not cover damage from mold.

There may be considerations made if:

• An authorized official has banned entrance to the area (for safety reasons).
• Floodwaters remain around the home or in the area that prevent you from inspecting or maintaining the property.

However, if you can access your property, you are strongly encouraged to begin cleanup and documentation immediately after a flood to prevent the growth and spread of mold.

If you are unsatisfied with the amount of your claim or receive a denial letter for some or all of your claim, you can:

• Work with your insurance company to find a resolution.
• File an appeal with FEMA.
• Seek an appraisal.
• File a lawsuit.

Tap water may be contaminated and not safe to use or drink after a disaster.

• Follow your state, local, or tribal health department for specific recommendations regarding boiling or treating water in your area.
• Do not drink, wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, wash your hands, make ice, or mix baby formula with water you think -- or have been told -- is unsafe.
• If water in your area is contaminated, use bottled, boiled, or treated water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene.

To learn more, visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s guide on Emergency Disinfection of Drinking Water

Some sources of emergency water:

• Water from your water heater tank (part of your drinking water system, not your home heating system)
• Melted ice cubes made with water that was not contaminated
• Liquid from canned fruit and vegetables

FEMA may be able to provide assistance with well decontamination. You may contact your local health department or obtain proof of the contamination and submit it to FEMA for consideration of financial assistance.