BATON ROUGE – FEMA has granted an extension for Louisiana National Flood Insurance Program policyholders to file their proof-of-loss claims.

The extension allows policyholders 120 days from the date of their loss to file a flood insurance claim. The extension doubles the 60-day deadline that the Louisiana National Flood Insurance Program usually requires for policyholders to submit a fully documented, signed and sworn proof-of-loss claim.

FEMA determined that Louisiana policyholders need more time to file claims since the severe impact of last month's flood. The proof-of-loss is included in the claims package that documents flood losses. The claims package should include:

- Photos or video of flood damage
- A comprehensive and itemized list of what was damaged
- Receipts, if possible, for damaged items along with any other supporting documents that show the value of loss.

Officials advise policyholders to contact their insurance company as soon as possible to begin processing their claim.

FEMA can be contacted at 800-621-3362 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and select Option 2. FEMA can transfer policyholders to their insurance carrier for additional assistance if they have questions specifically about their insurance claim.