Attorney Samuel W. Bearman Says Homeowners Affected by Hurricane Sandy will Need to Contact FEMA to Reopen Their Insurance Claims

PENSACOLA, Fla., May 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As the New York State attorney general conducts a criminal inquiry into what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) calls "allegations of questionable engineering reports related to claims adjustment" that resulted in flood insurance claims filed by victims of Hurricane Sandy being minimized or denied outright, Florida attorney Samuel W. Bearman (http://www.bearmanlaw.com) says that if Sandy victims want FEMA to reopen their insurance claims, they must contact the agency.

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"FEMA has stated it will review all flood damage claims by Hurricane Sandy victims," observed Bearman, who has a substantial flood claims practice and is co-author of a flood claims book. "However, on the FEMA page explaining Hurricane Sandy National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims, Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance Brad Kieserman stated that the agency wants to 'give every Sandy survivor who thinks they may have been defrauded or received less than they were entitled to under their policy the opportunity to have their claim readjusted . . . if they had filed the claim under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).' That means FEMA is not going to automatically review homeowners' claims. They'll have to contact FEMA and opt in."

FEMA estimates nearly 142,000 homeowners' Hurricane Sandy flood damage claims were intentionally underpaid or denied by flood insurance companies. Worse, when homeowners appealed the decisions to FEMA, the agency ruled in favor of the insurance companies the vast majority of the time. But with 2,200 Sandy victims now in litigation in New York and New Jersey with flood insurance companies, FEMA has pledged to reopen all Sandy flood damage claims and give victims the opportunity to have their claims reviewed under a process that, while still being drafted, will likely include third-party oversight. If evidence of fraud or lowballing is found, homeowners could receive additional payments under their flood policies.

FEMA has stated that all Hurricane Sandy victims who filed claims under their flood insurance policies will receive letters telling them how to have their claims reassessed. Bearman says recipients will want to read the letter carefully and follow the instructions exactly--or risk losing out on their opportunity to have their claims reassessed.

"The hard truth is that Sandy victims are going to have to be proactive if they want their flood damage claims reopened," said Bearman, who has recovered millions of dollars in claims during the nearly 15 years he has handled hurricane damage cases in Florida. "I applaud FEMA for pledging to reform the NFIP, and I hope they will do the right thing for the thousands of homeowners who were victimized first by Hurricane Sandy and again by the flood insurance claims process."

FEMA is still in the process of determining the NFIP claim reassessment process. For Sandy victims who were NFIP policyholders, FEMA has established the Hurricane Sandy NFIP claims page (https://www.fema.gov/hurricane-sandy-nfip-claims). The agency will update the page as the situation progresses.

About Bearman LawA northwest Florida practice specializing in personal injury, wrongful death, flood claims and nursing home abuse and neglect, the Law Office of Samuel W. Bearman, L.C. is located in Pensacola, Florida. Bearman serves clients throughout the state, especially those in the Panhandle area.

Mr. Bearman is a member of the Florida Bar and can practice in any State Court in Florida. He is admitted to practice in the Federal court for the Northern District of Florida and the Middle District of Florida. He is also admitted to the United States Supreme Court and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. In addition, Bearman is a speaker and co-author of two books on personal injury and flood claims and is frequently quoted in the media. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association's Top 100 Florida Trial Lawyers. Learn more at http://www.bearmanlaw.com.

Contact: Samuel BearmanLaw Office of Samuel W. Bearman, L.C.
850-438-1000
Email
http://www.bearmanlaw.com

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SOURCE Bearman Law