LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas disaster survivors whose homes were damaged in the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding between April 26 and May 19 do not have to wait for an insurance settlement to apply for federal assistance.
Survivors with insurance may register with FEMA for grants for temporary rental assistance, essential home repairs and other disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
Registration is encouraged even if survivors have insurance coverage. Policies vary in coverage and may not pay for temporary housing or have other insurance gaps.
Once registered, applicants with insurance policies covering storm-related loss and damage are mailed a "Request for Information" as part of FEMA’s verification process to avoid duplicating insurance payments. By law, federal assistance cannot duplicate assistance provided by other sources.
Waiting on the insurance settlement may make a disaster survivor miss the FEMA deadline to apply and lose the opportunity to apply for federal disaster assistance.
Federal assistance is available to eligible individuals and households in 16 Arkansas counties: Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Faulkner, Fulton, Jackson, Lawrence, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Washington, White, Woodruff and Yell. Damage or loss from the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding must have occurred between April 26 and May 19.
To register for FEMA disaster assistance:
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call800-462-7585. If you use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish);Download the FEMA mobile app (also available in Spanish) at Google Play or the Apple App Store.
If you are a homeowner or renter, FEMA may refer you to SBA. SBA disaster loans are the primary source of money to pay for repair or replacement costs not fully covered by insurance or other compensation. Homeowners may borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence. Homeowners and renters may borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property.
There are three ways to apply to SBA after you register with FEMA:
Call SBA at 800-659-2955. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing may call800-877-8339.Apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.Apply by mail: Complete a paper application and mail it to SBA at
14925 Kingsport Road, Ft. Worth TX 76155-2243.
Visit a Disaster Recovery Center for personal help. Locations are found at the FEMA DRC Locator or at SBA disaster loan.
For updates on the Arkansas response and recovery, follow the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (@AR_Emergencies) on Twitter and Facebook and adem.arkansas.gov. Additional information is available at fema.gov/disaster/4318.
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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
