Congress has not yet passed relief funding for the 2018 hurricane disasters, and countless people—even entire towns—are still waiting on money to help them recover. People have been left feeling forgotten, living in tents and severely damaged homes without support from hurricane claims.

In 2018, after Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael, people’s homes, businesses, and property were damaged or destroyed. The hurricanes took place within about a month of each other, with Florence damaging both of the Carolinas catastrophically, and Michael heavily impacting the Florida Panhandle.

Now, six months later, Hurricane Michael has been upgraded to a Category 5—the first of this category to make landfall in the U.S. in almost thirty years. Thousands are still reeling from the devastation left in the hurricanes’ wake—from the physical damage to their homes and property, the deaths and injuries suffered by the people, and also significant financial damage.

Indeed, many are still waiting on a disaster relief bill to be passed by the federal government that would help fund their recovery. So far, Congress has failed four separate times to pass a disaster relief bill for disasters including Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Florence, Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria, and the California wildfires.

Many are still waiting on their hurricane claim for insurance to go through. In some areas of the Florida Panhandle, Hurricane Michael nearly wiped out entire cities.

Such is the case for the city of Mexico Beach, Fla., where almost no central buildings remain. “We lost everything but city hall,” Mexico Beach mayor Al Cathey told WHNT News. “Our pier is gone, our civic center is gone, the water tank is gone, the police station is gone, fire station is gone. We’re just sort of a ragtag bunch right now.”

The city is working to clean itself back up, but as it stands, debris is on the streets and tarps are on the roofs, and utilities have not yet been restored all across the city.

Delay in Hurricane Insurance Claims

Tens of thousands have registered for assistance in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, and 144,300 people have filed a hurricane claim, together totaling around $5.6 billion in damages, according to Watchdog.org.

Are You Owed More for Your Hurricane Claim?

Even if you have already submitted a hurricane claim to your insurance company, you may not yet have been paid for all the losses that are covered. You may be able to claim additional money and be properly compensated for the damage caused by Hurricane Michael or Hurricane Florence.

The devastation left in the wake of these hurricanes can be frustrating and even traumatizing, and dealing with litigation can make everything seem more complicated. But consulting an experienced insurance claim attorney can help you navigate the insurance process and ensure you are fully compensated for your losses. To help with this process, Top Class Actions can connect you with an experienced hurricane claim attorney.