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Sharing the Facts and Funding About Flood Insurance
Last year on September 30, 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Hermit’s Peak Fire Assistance Act that provided $2.5 billion to compensate New Mexicans and Tribal Nations impacted by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire.
Board of Trustees
President
Robert Baca
District
Vice President
James Ortiz
District
Secretary-Treasurer
Virginia Mondragon
District
Sam Ramirez
District
Joseph A. C de Baca
District
An additional $1.45 billion was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, passed on December 29, 2022, providing $3.95 billion to fund expected costs under the act. Funding may cover eligible losses including personal injury, loss of property, business loss or financial loss.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act also included funding to replace water treatment facilities damaged by the fire to ensure communities have access to clean drinking water. This historic fire and subsequent flooding had devastating impacts, and this funding will provide much-needed resources to help individuals and communities jumpstart their recovery.
Affected residents can visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency Claims Office website at www.fema.gov/disaster/current/ hermits-peak to find a form or make an appointment to meet with a navigator by calling 505-995-7133.
New Mexico’s monsoon season is right around the corner, and it’s important to share the facts about flood insurance.
The claims office can reimburse for an existing flood insurance policy or the purchase of a new flood insurance policy for New Mexicans who have a reasonable fear of heightened flood risk due to the Hermit’s Peak/ Calf Canyon fires. This can include policies bought from private flood insurance companies or policies from the National Flood Insurance Program.
All claimants living in NFIP-participating communities in Mora and San Miguel counties are automatically eligible.
The claims office may be able to speed up payment to reimburse you for a policy bought since the fire or buy a new policy for you through the NFIP.
Our claims navigators will work with you to confirm your eligibility and include this request on your Notice of Loss form. Policies typically take 30 days to go into effect.
The claims office may also pay for your flood insurance if you live outside of these two counties and are concerned about flooding as a result of the fires. We will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis.
To see if your community is a participating NFIP community, call 877-336-2627 or visit fema.gov/flood-insurance/work-with-nfip/ community-status-book to view a full list of participating communities.
