As summer approaches in Florida, so does hurricane season.
While you’re getting ready to face the storms, don’t forget to ensure that your vital records are protected and accessible.
Over 48,000 applications for Federal Emergency Management are still listed as ineligible after hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton because of a lack of documentation, according to FEMA spokesperson Gerard Hammink.
If you can’t prove your identity and that you own your home and were living in it when the disaster hit, FEMA can’t help you with disaster assistance.
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Both renters and homeowners need to be able to prove that they occupied their home at the time of the storm using the following official documents:
- Utility bills, bank or credit card statements, phone bills, etc.
- Employer’s statement
- Written lease agreement
- Rent receipts
Make sure the name and address on those records matches what’s on your driver’s license, state-issued ID or voter registration card.
Homeowners also need to keep proof of ownership on hand, such as:
- Deed or Official Record
- Mortgage Documentation
- Structural or real property insurance
- Property tax receipt or property tax bill
- Manufactured home certificate or title
- Mobile Home Park Letter
- Real Estate Provisions
- Contract for Deed
- Land Installment Contract
- Quitclaim Deed
- Bill of Sale or Bond for Title
- Will or Affidavit of Heirship – if your pre-disaster residence was passed down to you via heirship and you’re missing these official documents, you can also submit a written self-declaration as a last resort.
- Court Documents
FEMA also accepts letters from public officials — like a mayor or police chief — and receipts for major home repairs or improvements as proof of home ownership or occupancy.
If you live in a mobile home or travel trailer, you’ll need a signed statement from the park owner or you can self-certify as a last resort.
Make sure to keep your official documents in a waterproof container and bring them with you when you evacuate.
FEMA’s Jovanna Garcia told WUSF in October that the official website can be translated into the language that you speak, and that it’s imperative to register with FEMA in advance.
Hammink said people who are seeking assistance after last year’s hurricanes can still submit documentation here or call the FEMA helpline at 800-321-3362.
