Hurricane Ian: FEMA Claims for Generator Reimbursement

Hurricane Jan The storm flooded areas across the state, toppling slab homes, destroying beachside businesses and leaving more than 2 million people without power.

After a major storm passes through the region, many people are relying on generators to provide the power they need until power is restored. The last ones internet searches show that people are wondering if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will offer compensation to people who had to buy or lease a new generator as a result of Jan.

Will FEMA reimburse people who bought or rented a generator during Hurricane Ian?

Yes, FEMA will reimburse people who purchased or rented a generator during Hurricane Ian, but there are certain requirements that must be met in order to be eligible.

Under Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Relief Actthe president can take two types declarations of natural disasters — announcements about emergency situations and serious natural disasters. Both types of declarations authorize the president to provide additional federal assistance in the event of a natural disaster.

For example, the president can declare a major disaster for any natural event, including a hurricane, tornado, storm, fire, flood, or explosion, that “has caused damage of such severity that it is beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments . respond,” according to FEMA.

FEMA provides financial assistance to individuals and households who have incurred certain miscellaneous expenses during a natural disaster under the Other Needs Assistance (ONA) provision. Individuals and Households Program (IHP). Appropriate items must be purchased or rented after an incident to assist with disaster recovery.

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To qualify for individual assistance from FEMA, a state must receive a declaration of a major disaster from the president. Areas of Florida affected by Hurricane Jan got it statement by President Joe Biden September 29.

In an email, a FEMA spokesperson told VERIFY that some Florida hurricane survivors who purchased or rented a generator as a result of Hurricane Jan may be eligible for compensation. To qualify, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Meets general requirements for participation for IHL;
• The home is the applicant’s primary residence and is located in an Individual Assistance (IA) area;
• A generator was purchased or leased due to power outages caused by a presidentially declared disaster;
• The applicant provides receipts confirming the purchase or rental of the generator;
• A generator was purchased or leased to power medically necessary equipment, including a medically necessary refrigerator; and
• The applicant submits a certificate from a health care provider stating that the generator is medically necessary.

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“Claims for reimbursement of generator costs are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applicants will be required to substantiate their claim by providing FEMA with a rental or purchase receipt and, if applicable, a statement from a health care provider indicating that the generator is medically necessary,” the spokesperson said.

FEMA cannot provide reimbursement for equipment paid for by another source, such as homeowners insurance, flood insurance, or other types of insurance. Duplicate payments or reimbursements for benefits provided by insurance or any other source are prohibited by law.

Florida homeowners and renters affected by Hurricane Ian who live in affected areas intended for individual assistance may be eligible for assistance from FEMA. Those areas include Charlotte, Collier, DeSato, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. To apply, visit disasterassistance.gov/ or call 800-621-3362 between 7am and 11pm EST. You can also apply for FEMA Mobile App.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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