WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to Administrator Fugate requesting that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notify homeowners who have filed claims with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in the wake of Superstorm Sandy detailing the manipulation of engineering reports in order to underpay Sandy victims. Pallone requested that FEMA establish processes that allow homeowners to easily file an appeal if they believe that they have been a victim of an intentionally altered engineering report.“Sandy victims have already suffered enough. To undercut or deny payments to these homeowners as they try to rebuild is absolutely unacceptable,” said Congressman Pallone. “FEMA has a responsibility to inform the public about this fraud that we are learning is widespread and to implement processes to ensure that disaster victims get the resources they are rightfully owed.”
As of the end of February 2015, 74,052 NFIP claims have been filed in New Jersey stemming from Sandy damage. Over 1,100 Sandy victims are suing their insurance companies for perceived underpayments or denials, but the vast majority of those who have filed NFIP claims are likely unaware of the recently uncovered fraud in which engineering reports have been intentionally doctored.
Read the full text of the letter ... Here
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