Extending Sandy Claims Deadline

    At the urging of Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has granted a six-month extension for Sandy-impacted homeowners to file flood insurance claims. The move follows a bipartisan call led by Ms. Gillibrand to extend FEMA’s Oct. 29 deadline for homeowners to file a Proof of Loss form under the National Flood Insurance Program the agency manages.

    Ms. Gillibrand and Mr. Schumer, along with New Jersey’s U.S. senators and members of both states’

Congressional delegations, emphasized that many homeowners are unable to meet the deadline because they are still awaiting repair work to begin or only recently learned of additional expenses as they commence repairs or reconstruction. Ms. Gillibrand personally lobbied Craig Fugate, FEMA’s administrator, for an extension, which now reaches to 18 months from Sandy’s landfall on Oct. 29 of last year.

    “Sandy-impacted homeowners who suffered damages from the storm should not be denied claims due to the timing of their paperwork,” Ms. Gillibrand said. “This critical extension will give struggling families more time to apply for the resources they deserve to repair and rebuild their homes.”