Before You Call For Federal Flood Relief

If you plan to apply for federal flood aid, you need to begin the application process with a teleregistration.  A teleregistration is simply phoning in your application information for federal flood assistance programs.

The telephone number is:  1-800-621-3362.

The TDD (telecommunications devise for the deaf) number is:  1-800-462-7585.

Among the types of assistance for which you may qualify are: Disaster (housing), Small Business, Individual or Family Grants (available only to those meeting income requirements).

Before calling teleregistration have the following information ready:

1.    Indicate immediate emergency needs.  So you can be directed to the appropriate agencies/services.

2.    If you have been evacuated, state that information when you being the teleregistration, and therefore, have no damage assessment at this time.

3.    Social Security Number (SSN).  If you are calling for someone else, you will be asked your name, SSN, and name and SSN for claimant.

4.    Damaged property address

5.    Directions to damaged property

6.    Home telephone number, if you are not living at the damaged property address, you will need to have two telephone numbers where you can be reached.  You will also be asked for a time you can be reached.  This is very important because the damage verifier is usually calling from a car phone and you cannot call him/her back.

7.    Date of Loss--month and day

8.    Current gross family income

9.    If this is your primary residence or if it is a secondary residence.

10. Insurance information.                                                                                                                           

      Do you have flood insurance, a homeowner's or a dwelling policy?                    

      Amounts of insurance coverage.                                                                              

     Name of the insurance company; agent's name and phone number.

11. A general idea of the damage--if an automobile, the name of the title holder, year and model, and make, if the loss is to a home, damage to personal property, etc.  If the loss is to a business, what type of business.

12. How many feet of water is in the building or, if the automobile, in the car.

13. Before you terminate the teleregistration, be sure you ask for a Control Number--This is the number that will be assigned to your loss/claim.  If you don't obtain this number or have misplaced this number, call the HELP

LINE number assigned to the disaster.

Source:  Public Information Officer, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Issued by Holly Hunts, Extension Specialist in Consumer Economics.  February 1995

Copyright © 1995 by University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

The Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Illinois provides educational programs and research-based information to help Illinois residents improve their quality of life, develop skills and solve problems, by helping you put knowledge to work.