What is FRLS?
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to eligible individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties, as well as to farmworkers statewide.
Service
OFFICE LOCATIONS:
and full representation to eligible clients in disaster cases.
FORT MYERS
Our offices serve the following counties: Lee, Polk, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee, Indian River, Highlands, Hardee, Hendry, Charlotte, Desoto, and Glades.
Support Our Mission
We invite you to help us raise awareness about the free legal services offered by FRLS. Many individuals in our community may not be aware of the support available to them, and together, we can change that. You can help by sharing this brochure with family, friends, and members of your community, sharing our phone number and webpage, and telling anyone who needs help with a civil legal problem about our non-profit law firm.
WHAT IS FEMA FOR?
FEMA can provide financial support for certain disaster-caused damages like:
Help to repair damages to your home or to pay for temporary housing
Help for medical, funeral, burial, and childcare costs
Help to replace some personal belongings that were damaged or destroyed by disaster FEMAwillonlyhelpifthedamage orlosswascausedbythedisaster.
FEMA PROCESS
Who can Apply?
U.S. citizen or U.S. National
Permanent resident/green card holder
Other qualified immigrants like a refugee or asylee
When can I Apply?
You must apply for FEMA assistance within 60 days of the Presidential Disaster declaration and approval of assistance for individuals.
How do I apply?
Online at disasterassistance.gov
By phone at 1-800-621-3362
Use FEMA's mobile app
In person at a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) or Mobile Registration Intake Center (MRIC)
What do I need to apply?
Address of damaged home
Documents to show you owned and occupied the home at the time of the disaster.
Descriptions of damages to your home
If insured, your insurance information
Social Security Number
Contact Information
Total household income at the time of the disaster
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THINGS TO KNOW WHEN FILING AN INSURANCE CLAIM:
If your property was affected by a disaster, and you had a home and/or flood insurance policy, you should file an insurance claim to see if there is coverage for your damages.
You should allow the insurer’s claims representative to inspect the property as soon as possible.
Become familiar with the coverage you had in force at the time of loss.
Steer Clear of a Contractor who:
Asks for all the money for the project upfront. Asks you to “take my word for it” and does not have a contract for you to sign.
Says he does not need a permit from a city or county that requires a permit.
Says he/she needs more money because of “unexpected” problems.
Drives a vehicle with out-of-state license plates. Works for a company that has an out-of-state address or only a P.O. Box or hotel address.
Drives a vehicle that displays a different company name from the name of the company the contractor is supposed to work for.
Ask to see contractor’s license and make sure it matches the person showing it. Contact the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation at 850-487-1395 or www.myfloridalicense.com to verify the status of the license.
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Keep a copy of your policy in a safe place. Take photos of the damages and keep all your receipts if you must pay to repair the property, or to make the property safe, before the insurer sends someone to inspect the damages.
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WHAT IS A PUBLIC ADJUSTER?
A public adjuster is any person who for money completes, prepares, or files an insurance claim for an insured or aids an insured in negotiating for or getting the settlement of a claim or claims for loss or damage covered by an insurance policy.
REMEMBER THIS:
Using a public adjuster may make recovery easier and maybe quicker but it will take away from the amount of the claim, since the public adjusters gets paid a percentage of the settlement. This will mean less money for repairs so make sure to know how much is needed to make the repairs that are necessary.
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