TL;DR: FEMA's Individuals and Households Program provides money and direct services for uninsured or underinsured disaster-caused necessary expenses and serious needs, but it cannot replace insurance.

Who qualifies for help

FEMA's Individuals and Households Program, described in the March 2025 document titled 2025.03.21 FS Individuals and Households Program FINAL, provides money and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs.

That fact sheet states that FEMA assistance can't replace insurance but can help survivors jump-start their road to recovery.

Four general conditions must be met for an applicant to be eligible to receive assistance, according to 2025.03.21 FS Individuals and Households Program FINAL.

First, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

Second, FEMA must be able to confirm the applicant's identity.

Third, the applicant's insurance, or other forms of disaster assistance received, cannot meet their disaster-caused needs.

Fourth, the applicant's necessary expenses and serious needs must be directly caused by a declared disaster.

The companion guide titled FEMA Individuals and Households Program Application Eligibility, Registration and Appeals explains that FEMA usually checks identity using public records when an applicant applies with a valid Social Security number.

That same eligibility guide notes that a parent or legal guardian of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified non-citizen may apply on behalf of the minor child, so long as they live in the same household.

Under that rule, the parent or legal guardian must apply as the co-applicant, and the minor child must be under age 18 when the disaster occurred.

Housing Assistance basics

What Housing Assistance covers

Housing Assistance may include help with temporary housing needs, repairing or replacing owner-occupied homes, or mitigation measures to rebuild stronger, according to 2025.03.21 FS Individuals and Households Program FINAL.

Applicants may receive more than one type of Housing Assistance.

FEMA determines the appropriate types of Housing Assistance based on disaster-caused losses, access to life-sustaining services, cost-effectiveness and other factors.

To qualify for Housing Assistance, FEMA must confirm the applicant lived in their home most of the year, and their home is in a declared disaster area.

If the applicant is the homeowner, FEMA must confirm ownership of the residence before providing Home Repair or Home Replacement Assistance.

Home repair and replacement

Home Repair or Replacement provides money to help repair or replace an owner-occupied, disaster-damaged primary residence so the home is safe to live in.

For example, the March 2025 fact sheet lists addressing mold caused by the disaster, money to repair or replace damaged wells, septic systems, privately owned roads, bridges and docks, or money for mitigation measures.

The money can also help with preexisting damage to parts of the home that were further damaged by the disaster.

The explainer titled FEMA Coverage for Large Expenses, released March 17, 2025, states that Home Repair Assistance may cover structural parts including windows, doors, floors, walls, ceilings, cabinets, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system (HVAC), utilities including electrical, plumbing and gas systems, and entrance ways.

That same explainer states FEMA may provide Home Repair Assistance or reimbursement for the cost of a licensed technician's professional assessment associated with repair or replacement of wells, furnaces, and septic systems.

It also states FEMA may reimburse for the actual cost to repair or replace a furnace, private well and septic system damaged or destroyed by the disaster.

For access routes, that explainer states FEMA may provide assistance to repair fire-related damage to privately-owned roads, bridges, or docks, if the only access to the home has been damaged by the disaster.

Accessibility and hazard mitigation

Accessibility Needs provides money to help survivors with a disability repair or install specific accessibility features for their home, including an exterior ramp, grab bars and paved path to the home entrance.

Repairs can be made when these items are damaged.

FEMA can also give money to help install these items if they were not previously in the home, but needed because of a disability caused by the disaster, or a pre-existing disability and the home was damaged by the disaster.

Hazard Mitigation Measures provides money for specific mitigation measures based on the cause and amount of damage to the home.

These can include roof repair with more resilient materials to withstand higher wind gusts or elevating a water heater or furnace to prevent damage from future floods.

Temporary housing while displaced

Rental Assistance and lodging reimbursement

Temporary Housing Needs include Rental Assistance, Lodging Expense Reimbursement, and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.

Rental Assistance provides money to rent alternate housing accommodations while an applicant is displaced from their disaster-damaged primary residence.

This money may be used to rent a house, apartment, manufactured home, recreational vehicle or other readily fabricated dwelling.

Lodging Expense Reimbursement provides money for reimbursement for hotels, motels or other short-term lodging while an applicant is displaced from their disaster-damaged primary residence.

Applicants who receive Displacement Assistance are typically not eligible for Lodging Expense Reimbursement.

Direct temporary housing options

Direct Temporary Housing Assistance must be requested by the State, Territory or Tribal government and approved by FEMA.

If active for the declared disaster, eligible applicants who are unable to use Rental Assistance due to a lack of available housing resources may receive Direct Temporary Housing Assistance.

One type is Multi-Family Lease and Repair, which allows FEMA to enter into lease agreements with owners of multi-family rental properties located within or near declared areas to make repairs or improvements that provide temporary housing to eligible applicants.

A second type is Transportable Temporary Housing Units, defined as a ready-to-use housing unit such as a Recreation Vehicle or a Manufactured Housing Unit purchased or leased by FEMA and provided to eligible applicants for use as temporary housing for a limited time.

A third type is Direct Lease, defined as existing ready-for-occupancy residential property leased for eligible applicants for use as temporary housing.

If necessary, Direct Lease housing may be modified or improved to provide a reasonable accommodation for an eligible applicant with a disability.

A fourth type is Permanent Housing Construction, defined as home repair and construction services provided for homeowners in insular areas outside the continental United States and in other locations where no alternative housing resources are available, and where types of housing assistance FEMA normally provides are unavailable, infeasible or not cost-effective.

Other Needs Assistance for households

Serious Needs and Displacement

Applicants may receive money for other disaster-caused necessary expenses and serious needs, according to 2025.03.21 FS Individuals and Households Program FINAL.

Serious Needs provides money to help survivors pay for essential items like water, food, first aid, breast-feeding supplies, infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene items or fuel for transportation.

Displacement provides money to help with immediate housing needs if applicants cannot return to their home because of the disaster.

The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family or friends, or for other options while looking for temporary housing.

Personal property, medical and transport

Personal Property assistance provides money to help repair or replace appliances, room furnishings and a personal or family computer damaged by the disaster.

Books, uniforms, tools, additional computers and other items required for school or work — including self-employment — may also be eligible.

Medical/Dental assistance provides money to help pay for medical expenses because the disaster caused an injury or illness.

This money can also be used to help replace medical or dental equipment, breastfeeding equipment, or lost or damaged prescribed medicine.

Other Needs Assistance also covers funeral, child care, transportation repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses, as summarized in FEMA's Other Needs Assistance materials referenced in FEMA Individuals and Households Program Application Eligibility, Registration and Appeals.

The March 17, 2025 explainer FEMA Coverage for Large Expenses states FEMA may provide Other Needs Assistance to help repair or replace a privately-owned vehicle damaged by the disaster if the applicant does not have another vehicle that can be used.

How to apply and work with insurance

There are four ways to apply for Individual Assistance described in FEMA Individuals and Households Program Application Eligibility, Registration and Appeals: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA App, by calling 800-621-3362, or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center.

The March 2025 Large Expenses explainer lists the same four options and notes that DisasterAssistance.gov is the fastest option.

That explainer also notes Disaster Recovery Centers are physically accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, and are equipped with assistive technology and other resources to help ensure all applicants can access resources.

The March 20, 2025 guide titled FEMA Assistance for Survivors with Insurance Coverage states applicants must tell FEMA about all insurance coverage when applying, including homeowners, renters, vehicle, mobile home, medical, burial, and other coverages.

That insurance guide states FEMA cannot pay for costs covered by insurance, so applicants must file a claim with their insurance company right away to determine eligibility and remaining needs.

Applicants may be eligible now or later if they were denied insurance, if the claim has been settled and they can demonstrate insurance did not cover losses, if the claim is delayed, or if they do not have Additional Living Expenses or Loss of Use coverage or can demonstrate those benefits are exhausted.

If it has been 30 days or more since filing an insurance claim and no funds have been received, the guide advises contacting the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

The guide also describes a possible insurance advance payment from FEMA, noting these funds are considered a loan if insurance funds become available and must be repaid once the insurance settlement is received.

If additional help is needed after insurance payment, the guide states applicants should send FEMA settlement information, a denial letter including denial because damage did not exceed the policy deductible, or proof of lack of insurance such as a policy with an exclusion for specific causes of damage.

Documents can be uploaded to a disaster assistance account at DisasterAssistance.gov, mailed to FEMA P.O. Box 10055 Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055, faxed to 1-800-827-8112, delivered to a Disaster Recovery Center, or discussed by calling 1-800-621-3362.

FEMA must receive an insurance settlement or denial within 60 days from the date on FEMA letters requesting insurance documentation.

Determination letters and appeals

All survivors who apply will receive a letter stating an eligibility decision and the reason, and can also check application status online at DisasterAssistance.gov, according to FEMA Individuals and Households Program Application Eligibility, Registration and Appeals.

That guide cautions that a determination of ineligibility may not be a final denial, because FEMA sometimes needs more information or supporting documentation.

Common reasons include missing requested documents, damage covered by insurance or other sources, more than one application filed for the household, or inability to verify homeownership.

By law, FEMA cannot provide financial assistance if funding for the same disaster-caused need was received from other sources, including insurance, crowdfunding, local or state programs, or voluntary agencies.

If other funds were received, applicants should send documentation showing how those funds were used to prove the funds were insufficient or intended for another purpose.

Survivors who disagree with a decision have the right to appeal within 60 days of the date on the determination letter.

A signed appeal, including application and disaster numbers, may be submitted via DisasterAssistance.gov, mail, fax, or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center, with decisions typically issued within 90 days.