NEWS RELEASE: FEMA Can Help With Vehicle Loss, Apply By August 14 (UPDATE)

UPDATE

Oklahomans affected by the May 19-28 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding have until August 14 to apply for FEMA assistance.

This deadline is for residents of Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Delaware, Jackson, Mayes, Muskogee and Rogers counties.

If you were affected by the storms, you should apply as soon as possible. FEMA may be able to help with rent, home repairs and other disaster-related needs.

Original Story

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahomans who lost their underinsured vehicles because of the April and May storms and tornadoes may be able to repair or replace them with FEMA’s help. Unlike most other forms of disaster assistance, you don’t need to live in the declared counties to be eligible.

FEMA provides Transportation Assistance funds for vehicles with serious safety or operational issues. Vehicles with only cosmetic damage are not eligible. Transportation Assistance is meant to help applicants with one vehicle for the household, unless you provide written justification showing why more than one vehicle is necessary for daily use.

Repairs for a minimum of $50 and a maximum of $3,000 may be authorized with receipts. Up to $16,000 is available with documentation if the vehicle is destroyed. To be eligible, the vehicle must:

• Be owned or leased (but not a rental) by the applicant or co-applicant
• Have been registered with the state at the time of the disaster
• Meet minimum state requirements for liability insurance
• Be verified as having sustained damage in one of the declared counties during the disaster
• Be an approved vehicle type, such as a car, truck, SUV or van

You may be asked to provide documentation of the vehicle’s verifiable damage. If your vehicles was destroyed, include one of the following:

• Proof from insurance company that the vehicle was a total loss
• Document that verifies the vehicle’s title, such as a Salvage Title, Certificate of Destruction or Junk Title
• Statement on official paper from the Public Works Department confirming your vehicle was destroyed and removed from the public right-of-way
• Statement from a local official

In order to apply for Transportation Assistance or other types of disaster assistance, those affected by the storms in Blaine, Caddo, Carter, Craig, Custer, Delaware, Hughes, Jackson, Johnston, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Mayes, McClain, Murray, Muskogee, Nowata, Okfuskee, Okmulgee, Osage, Ottawa, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Rogers, Washington and Washita counties can apply for FEMA assistance. The application process is simple, and there are four options:

• Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
• Call the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621-3362. There are multilingual operators ready to help.
• Use the FEMA App.
• Visit a Disaster Recovery Center – for locations and hours, visit fema.gov/drc.

For the latest information about Oklahoma’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4776. Follow the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.

FEMA is committed to ensuring disaster assistance is accomplished equitably, without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. Any disaster survivor or member of the public may contact the FEMA Civil Rights Office if they feel that they have a complaint of discrimination. FEMA’s Civil Rights Office can be contacted at FEMA-CivilRightsOffice@fema.dhs.gov or toll-free at 833-285-7448. Multilingual operators are available