Understanding Your FEMA Letter

If you are a Wisconsin homeowner or renter in Milwaukee, Washington or Waukesha counties with uninsured damage to your primary home, personal property loss or have disaster-related emergency needs due to the August storms and flooding, you will receive a letter from FEMA after you apply for assistance. Understanding this letter and any next steps you need to take is critical for your recovery.

It is important to read FEMA's letter carefully. It will include the amount of money FEMA may provide and information on how you can use your disaster assistance money. The letter will also explain your application status, give you information about how to appeal FEMA's decision and list any additional documentation that you may need to provide to continue with your application.

The fastest way to submit additional documents that may be listed on the letter is to upload them to your disaster assistance account at DisasterAssistance.gov.
For more information on understanding your FEMA letter, please visit FEMA.gov/letter.

If you have insurance - FEMA cannot process your application until you submit your insurance settlement or denial.

Even if your FEMA letter says you cannot be approved for assistance due to your insurance coverage, you may still be able to receive money. FEMA will need your insurance settlement or denial to process your application to make sure you are not receiving money for the same damage twice. By law, FEMA cannot pay for costs related to the disaster that your insurance already covers.

If more than 30 days have passed since you filed your insurance claim and you have not received your settlement, please contact the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

If you do not agree with the amount or type of FEMA assistance you are eligible to receive.

If you disagree with FEMA's decision, whether you have insurance or not, you can appeal by showing why you need FEMA assistance. The letter you get from FEMA will have more information about the types of documents to help FEMA understand why you need help.

For more information on your FEMA letter and how to appeal visit: FEMA.gov/appeal.