Constitution State News

On August 19, Governor Lamont declared a state of emergency to address the severe flooding affecting Connecticut. The declaration aims to speed up resource allocation and prioritize potential federal assistance, including equipment and work crews for infrastructure repairs. Following this, on August 21, Governor Lamont sought a federal emergency declaration to secure FEMA aid, which was approved.

The Connecticut Insurance Department's Consumer Affairs Division has issued an alert addressing claim-related questions due to the ongoing heavy rains and flooding impacting communities across the state.

The Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) is requesting businesses affected by the floods to voluntarily fill out a damage assessment form. This data will help determine eligibility for FEMA or Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance. Residents and businesses are urged to document all damages with photos before starting repairs.

Governor Lamont announced details of the state's Emergency Flood Relief Grant on August 26. The program includes small business flood assistance "micro grants" as part of the Department of Economic Community Development's Flood Recovery Grant Program 2024. It serves as interim support until federal resources or insurance claims are processed. SBA and FEMA teams are currently assessing physical damages in the state.

Applications for these grants will open on September 3rd, with submissions accepted until funds run out. The grant program is managed in partnership with the Connecticut Women’s Business Development Council.

For additional resources and guidance, visit www.ct.gov/cid or contact CT Consumer Affairs at (860) 297-3900 or insurance@ct.gov.

Residents can attend virtual sessions through the CID Virtual Claims Center for flood safety and insurance information.

In preparation for filing claims post-flooding, residents should contact their insurance companies with pertinent questions about coverage types, claim processing times, repair estimates requirements, temporary repairs approval, adjuster visits preparations, loss documentation via inventory lists and receipts retention, structural damage identification, contractor bids acquisition from licensed professionals, and record-keeping practices during claim settlement processes.