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FEMA disaster assistance

Checked against FEMA and other official sources · Last reviewed October 8, 2026

What FEMA can pay for

The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) helps people who, because of a declared disaster, have "uninsured or under-insured, necessary expenses and serious needs" they can't meet any other way. FEMA says the help "is intended to meet your basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts." It does not aim to rebuild everything you lost.

Housing assistance

• Rental assistance. Money to rent another place if you're displaced, based on fair market rent. It can include utilities, but not phone, cable, TV or internet.
• Lodging reimbursement. Reasonable short-term lodging costs, for people who haven't received Displacement Assistance.
• Home repair. Money to repair an owner-occupied primary home to a "safe and sanitary living or functioning condition."
• Home replacement. Money toward replacing an owner-occupied primary home that the disaster destroyed.
• Temporary housing units. In some disasters, FEMA provides a unit directly when there is no housing you can rent.

Other needs assistance

• Serious Needs Assistance. A payment for people who are displaced, need shelter, or have other emergency disaster expenses. FEMA doesn't require receipts.
• Displacement Assistance. Money for short-term living arrangements right after the disaster. You must register within the registration period.
• Medical and dental costs, child care, and funeral costs.
• Personal property, such as clothing, furniture and appliances.
• Transportation, including repairing or replacing a vehicle.
• Moving and storing your belongings.

FEMA can provide this help for up to 18 months from the declaration date, unless the period is extended. [1][7][8][9]

Maximum amounts for 2025-2026 disasters

The law requires FEMA to adjust the IHP maximums every year for inflation, and FEMA publishes the new figures in the Federal Register. The current notice was published September 29, 2026. It sets the caps for any emergency or major disaster declared on or after October 1, 2025:

• Housing assistance: $44,800
• Other needs assistance: $44,800
• Serious Needs Assistance: a fixed $790

Two kinds of help don't count toward the $44,800 caps. Rental assistance and lodging reimbursement are excluded. So are repairs or replacement of accessibility-related items for people with disabilities.

These are maximums, not standard payments. FEMA adjusts them each year, so for disasters declared on or after October 1, 2026, check the Federal Register for a newer notice. [3][7][10]

Who qualifies, and why insurance comes first

Your area must be declared. "The disaster declaration designates which areas are eligible to receive Federal assistance." To check, enter your city or ZIP code on DisasterAssistance.gov and look for your county under "declared counties." Our disaster declarations list shows current declarations and their deadlines by county.

Basic eligibility. You must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien. You need to prove your identity with a valid Social Security number. For some types of help, FEMA must confirm the damaged home is your primary residence.

Insurance. You must tell FEMA about any insurance that can help with your disaster needs. If you have homeowners or renters insurance, FEMA says to file a claim as soon as possible. "By law, FEMA cannot pay for losses covered by homeowners or renters' insurance." FEMA will help an insured person only when the insurance payment is significantly delayed, isn't enough, or can't be used because there's no housing to rent. Before deciding, FEMA may ask for your insurance settlement or a denial letter.

Note that standard homeowners policies don't cover flood. See homeowners insurance and water damage and do I need flood insurance. [2][4][7][11][12]

How to apply

You can apply in any of these ways:

• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
• In the FEMA App for mobile devices.
• By phone at 1-800-621-3362. DisasterAssistance.gov lists hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in your time zone, 7 days a week, and says hours may be longer when demand is high. Other FEMA pages list different hours, such as 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. If you use video relay or captioned phone service, give FEMA that number.
• In person at a Disaster Recovery Center, if one is open near you.

Have this information ready:

• A phone number where FEMA can reach you.
• Your address at the time of the disaster and where you're staying now.
• Your Social Security number.
• A general list of damage and losses.
• Bank information if you want direct deposit.
• If insured, your policy number or your agent's or company's name.

The deadline. The standard registration period is 60 days after the President declares the disaster. According to the Labor Department, FEMA by policy starts the 60 days when Individual Assistance is designated, which is often but not always the declaration date. FEMA may extend the period if the state asks for more time. After the period closes, FEMA accepts late registrations for 60 more days if you explain why you're late. Displacement Assistance requires registering within the regular or extended period. [4][5][6][9][13][14][15][16]

After you apply: inspection, letter and appeal

FEMA checks your damage "through an onsite or remote inspection." The homeowner, renter or co-applicant must be there. Inspectors may call from an unknown or restricted number, and usually try to reach you three times. All FEMA inspectors carry an official photo ID. Have your own photo ID ready, plus proof of ownership or occupancy if the inspector asks.

The inspection is only one of several things FEMA uses to decide your eligibility. Then FEMA sends a letter. "Read the whole letter carefully." It says what money, if any, you're receiving. It also lists any missing documents. If you weren't approved, it explains how to disagree. FEMA may ask for more documents, such as your insurance settlement or denial, which shows what your insurance does or doesn't cover. You may still qualify if insurance didn't cover all your losses.

Appealing. "If you disagree with FEMA's decision, you may appeal within 60 days of the date of the letter." You can appeal decisions such as whether you're eligible, the amount or type of help, a cancelled application, or a rejected late application.

Your appeal needs a written explanation or documents that support it. Put your FEMA application number and disaster number on every page. If you want more repair money, send receipts, bills or repair estimates. If someone else files for you, include a statement you signed authorizing them.

Submit your appeal in any of these ways:

• Upload it in your DisasterAssistance.gov account.
• Mail it to FEMA - Individuals & Households Program, National Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055.
• Fax it to (800) 827-8112.
• Take it to a Disaster Recovery Center.

FEMA says decisions usually come within 30 days, but can take up to 90. [12][17][18][19]

SBA disaster loans and unemployment help

The U.S. Small Business Administration also lends to households, not just businesses, after a declared disaster. "Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence." Renters and homeowners can borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property. Second homes and vacation properties don't qualify.

The loans cover losses that insurance doesn't fully cover, and insurance payments may be subtracted from what you can borrow. Terms run up to 30 years. Your first payment is deferred 12 months, with no interest building up during that time. Rates are announced for each disaster; a July 2026 SBA notice, for example, gave rates as low as 2.875% for homeowners and renters. You may also qualify to borrow up to 20% more to make your home more disaster-resistant. In Presidential declarations, physical damage loans over $50,000 need collateral where possible.

Apply at sba.gov/disaster or call SBA at 800-659-2955.

If you lost work. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) pays benefits to people who lost work as a direct result of the disaster and don't qualify for regular unemployment insurance. Your state unemployment agency runs it, and it can pay for up to 26 weeks after the declaration. For disasters declared on or after March 23, 2024, the Labor Department says the filing deadline is 60 days after the declaration or IA designation, whichever is later. An older, archived FEMA fact sheet still says 30 days from the announcement that DUA is available, so file as soon as your state announces DUA. [16][20][21][22]

Beware of scams

DHS, FEMA, SBA and other federal agencies "will never charge applicants for disaster assistance." FEMA says: "Do not trust anyone who asks for money, a deposit, or a fee in exchange for disaster assistance or grants."

A real FEMA inspector never charges a fee, never asks for your bank information, and never asks for your nine-digit registration number. "A FEMA shirt, jacket, or hat is not proof of identity." Ask to see the photo ID.

To report fraud, email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov or call the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 1-866-720-5721.

If your home flooded, see what to do after a flood for safety and cleanup steps. [15][17][23]

If you get FEMA flood aid in a high-risk zone

This rule matters after a flood. Suppose you get FEMA money to repair or replace flood-damaged property in a Special Flood Hazard Area (see flood zones). You must then buy and keep flood insurance for at least the amount of aid. This applies only to property the NFIP can insure. Homeowners must keep it at that address for as long as a home stands there, and the requirement passes to later owners. Renters must insure their contents while they live in that unit. Keeping that insurance is a condition for getting any federal help for future flood damage to insurable property, and FEMA can't give repair or replacement money to people who didn't keep it. See what flood zone am I in and flood insurance cost. [7]

Questions people ask