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Tropical Storm Francine

Last updated September 9th at 4:00 p.m.

Disaster Recovery Info
We are actively monitoring the current conditions in your area regarding Tropical Storm Francine as well as all assistance authorized by FEMA. Please stay safe but know that we are here to help when you need it. For questions regarding insurance, please call us at 1-877-826-4433 or start the claims process at www.myinsuranceportal.com. For all other matters that you may need help with, please call us at 1-866-392-1860

We’re here to help!  You can access information on assistance and resources from GMFS Mortgage as well as various federal, state and local agencies.

GMFS Can Endorse Emergency/Advance Type of Fund Checks Locally at a local branch

  • Your loan must be serviced by GMFS (meaning your monthly mortgage payments are made out to GMFS), status must be current and not  in a delinquent status in the past 12 months. 
  • For total claims under $40,000

GMFS Customer Service

You may contact Customer Support by logging into your account at www.gmfsservicing.com

Ph: 1-866-392-1860
24-hour automated support available.

Fax: 1-720-241-7218
Please include name and loan number on all faxes 

Payoffs – Fax to: GMFS LLC  1-720-241-7537  Attention: Payoff Department
Please include your name and loan number on all requests 

GMFS Insurance Claim Center

www.myinsuranceportal.com
property damage insurance claims:  1-877-826-4433
M-F 8:30am ET – 6:00pm ET

ShellPoint Mortgage Servicing C/O PLP

Loss Draft Department
PO Box 7087
Troy, MI 48007-7069

or Overnight Mailing Address

Loss Draft Department
700 Tower Drive, Suite 400
Troy, MI 48098-2808

Please Keep In Mind:

  • You should have your 10-digit loan number handy. If you do not know your loan number, continue to press 0 through the messaging prompts until you reach a dedicated claims servicing specialist.
  • We have proactively suspended late fees, collections and adverse credit reporting in the parishes declared Federal Disaster Areas.
  • Typically GMFS will also be listed on your insurance claim check and therefore require our endorsement. This is due to both federal regulations and your mortgage agreement to ensure your property is restored back to normal as soon as possible.
  • Credit Tips for Disaster Recovery – Don Clement Jr. of Credit Plus

Flood Insurance

If No Flood Insurance:

  1. Contact FEMA for additional assistance options at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (local time) seven days a week.
  2. Contact U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for additional assistance options available for both impacted businesses and residents. More info is available at www.sba.gov/disaster.
  3. Use the Emergency information, resources and special offers available on this page.

 

If You Have Flood Insurance:

  1. Use the Emergency information, resources and special offers available on this page.
  2. Make a claim with your insurance carrier.
  3. Contact FEMA for additional assistance options at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (local time) seven days a week.
  4. Contact U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for additional assistance options available for both impacted businesses and residents. More info is available at www.sba.gov/disaster.
  5. Work with insurance claims adjuster and agree to final settlement amount with your insurance carrier. GMFS will also be listed on your insurance claim check and therefore require our endorsement. This is due to both federal regulations and your mortgage agreement to ensure your property is restored back to normal as soon as possible.
  6. To obtain your insurance claim final settlement funds as quickly as possible create a profile at www.myinsuranceportal.com. Use this site to access required forms, upload documents, request inspections and track your claim status.

Insurance Checks

GMFS Can Endorse Emergency/Advance Type of Fund Checks Locally at a local branch

  • Your loan must be serviced by GMFS (meaning your monthly mortgage payments are made out to GMFS), status must be current and not  in a delinquent status in the past 12 months. 
  • For total claims under $40,000
  • Emergency/Advance funds checks can only be endorsed by approved, designated GMFS employees at one of our branches or can be mailed to the GMFS Disaster Assistance Team. In the future, when conditions allow, we hope to offer this service through our local south Louisiana branches as well. Please include name and loan number on all checks and faxes.
  • Approved government issued photo ID matches check presenter and is not expired (e.g. Louisiana drivers license or passport)
  • Address on photo ID matches loan property address with claim (in some circumstances, alternate verification procedures may be available)
  • Maximum amount of emergency/advance funds check that can be endorsed locally is $40,000 depending on circumstances.

 

Final Insurance Settlement Claim Fund Checks and Permanent Repairs

Per federal government guidelines, additional process and documentation are required to endorse your final insurance settlement claim funds and licensed contractors must be used to make permanent repairs to the home. This is to ensure the insurance claim funds will be used to repair the home per code requirements and restore its value. Your final insurance settlement claim funds require additional process and documentation for payout. As described in more detail below, these funds are issued through a draw process as repair progress is verified by inspection.

Self-contracting of permanent rebuild/repairs is only an option if the TOTAL damage costs are less than $20,000. If total damage costs are more than $20,000, then per federal loan guidelines, ALL permanent rebuild/repair work must be performed by a licensed contractor. Search Online for Louisiana Licensed Contractors

To obtain your insurance claim final settlement funds as quickly as possible, create an account online at www.myinsuranceportal.com or call (877) 826-4433. The site allows you to access required forms, upload required documents, request inspections and track your claim status.

 

Documentation Required for Drawing Final Insurance Settlement Funds:

  1. Adjuster’s Worksheet
  2. W-9 IRS Request Form for Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and Certification
  3. Contract signed by both homeowner and licensed contractor
  4. Contractor Waiver of Liens Form
  5. Copy of Contractor’s license
  6. Get started at www.myinsuranceportal.com to obtain your insurance claim final settlement funds as quickly as possible. Access required forms, upload documents, request inspections and track your claim status.

 

Draw Process for Final Insurance Settlement Funds:

  • First Draw: Maximum amount of $40,000 depending on circumstances (e.g. equal to amount of contract for repairs and minus any amount of Emergency/Advance funds previously received)
  • At least a week before a draw is needed, you should send us an email request via www.myinsuranceportal.com.com or call (877) 826-4433 that you are ready for an inspection to verify the status of the repairs to your home.
  • Additional Draw: After independent inspection verifies 50% or more of repairs are complete, then half (50%) of remaining funds can be made payable to all payees listed on original claim check plus the contractor.
  • Final Draw: After independent inspection verifies 100% of repairs are complete, then remaining funds can be made payable to all payees listed on original claim check plus the contractor.

FEMA Info

You should contact FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) using the info below to apply for financial aid. If applicable, contact your flood insurance company to file a claim.

www.DisasterAssistance.gov
Counties and Parishes Officially Declared Disaster Areas by FEMA

https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4611/designated-areas#individual-assistance 

1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (local time) seven days a week
1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired

How to File a FEMA Appeal
People have 60 days from the date on their assistance rejection letters to appeal FEMA decisions.

FEMA’s Find Assistance Tool
Complete this anonymous online questionnaire to get the most accurate, personalized list of possible assistance from various sources. The questions are directly related to disaster assistance. Search results include suggested assistance program descriptions, requirements and application information.

Disaster FAQ:

Information provided as general guidance only, and may not apply to your situation.

Q: How do I contact GMFS for disaster assistance?
A: Use the information at the top of this page to contact the appropriate team.

Q: Why is GMFS listed on my insurance claim check?
Because GMFS has a security interest in your property, we are also a loss payee on your insurance policy. If your home or property is damaged, the claim check is issued payable to both you and GMFS. This protects your interests as well as GMFS, in the restoration of your home.

Q:Is there a mobile phone application I can use to track my insurance claim check?
www.myinsuranceportal.com 

Q: How do I create my account at myinsuranceportal.com?
A: You may be able to create your account at myinsuranceportal.com by accessing the website and selecting “Create Account”. If you experience any trouble in creating or accessing your account, please call our Customer Care team.

Q: Can I use the insurance claim check funds to pay off my mortgage?
If the amount of the insurance claim check is greater than what is owed on your mortgage, call us to request a payoff quote. If the insurance claim check funds are enough to pay your loan in full, send us the endorsed insurance claim check with a payoff authorization letter.

Q:What if the amount of my insurance claim is less than the payoff quote, but I have extra funds to make up the difference?
A: In this case, you must send certified funds that make up the difference. You must also include the endorsed insurance claim check and the payoff authorization letter to authorize us to pay off your mortgage. If you’ve sent more funds than required to pay off your mortgage, we’ll release any overage after your mortgage is paid off

Q: Can I use the insurance funds to bring delinquent mortgage payments current?
A: You can only use the insurance funds to repair the property; however, once the repairs are 100% complete you may be able to use any remaining insurance funds towards past due/delinquent payments.

 

Emergency checks may be referred to as “advanced checks”, “good faith checks” or “emergency checks” which are immediately issued by an insurance company before the adjuster worksheet is prepared. A claim check is considered an emergency check if the check stub or enclosed letter from the insurance company states the check was issued as “emergency funds”.

Process and options differ if your loan is in delinquent status. For more info see Insurance Check section above.

Hurricane Support

Team GMFS is always ready to support the communities we serve!

hurricane ida laplace relief gmfs mortgagehurricane ida laplace relief gmfs mortgagehurricane ida disaster recovery houma national guard

Disaster Recovery Podcasts:

Disaster Resources

State of Louisiana Resources for Flood Survivors
Lots of information and links including state programs such as “Shelter at Home”, “Disaster Unemployment Claims”, “Office of Motor Vehicles”, “Disaster Food Stamps”, etc.

Bleach Does Not Kill Mold

LSU Ag Center – Disaster Information

LSU Ag Center – Storm Recovery Guide

LSU Ag Center – Guides to Disaster Recovery
(e.g. Hiring a Mold Remediation Contractor, Replacing Important Papers, etc.)

LSU Ag Center – Guides to Rebuild After Storm or Flood
(e.g. Using Generators for Electrical Power, Build Safer, Stronger, Smarter: Elevating an Existing Home, etc.)

Red Cross – Repairing Your Flooded Home

The tips below are not considered legal advice and may not apply to your specific situation.

  • Don’t throw away appliances and cabinets until your insurance adjuster can see them to know the model, features, materials, finish, etc. Make sure you keep the contents somewhere where the adjuster can see and photograph them to document your loss. Typically they must see samples of the items in order to allow compensation for them. (floor, sheetrock)
  • To assist the adjuster and also speed up your claims process, try to take photographs of the outside of the premises showing the flooding and the damage of the inside of the premises showing the height of water and the property damaged. One type of recommended photo is one that includes the insured person(s) standing by any debris pile with their impacted house in the background.
  • FEMA highly recommends that all photos of damage have a date and timestamp (e.g. using a free iPhone camera app such as “Timestamp Camera”).
  • Mold is typically not covered by a homeowners policy so the prevention of mold is extremely important at this stage to avoid future health and damage problems. (Blog: Bleach does not kill mold)
  • If you have flood insurance, understand that under the flood policy issued by the government, usually out buildings which are not attached to your property are not generally covered by that insurance. The contents of those building may be covered so document the contents of any non-covered building as well (detached garage, storage shed, pump house, bath house etc.).
  • Your repairs may require things be brought up to newer code standards, so be aware that additional costs may be associated. You need to be sure your claim includes these additional costs if applicable.
  • Place all account books, financial records, receipts, and other loss verification material in a safe place for evaluation by the adjuster. Mortgage documents, tax documents, insurance documents are documents you will need to facilitate your recovery and make claims for damages. If you are unable to find these documents, you can request copies of them from the IRS, your insurance company and your mortgage company.

Disaster Loans

GMFS Mortgage offers home loan disaster programs to assist disaster victims to purchase a new primary residence or repair their current home. Program features and qualifications vary, but each will provide helpful benefits to impacted disaster victims in a Presidentally Designated Major Disaster Areas (PDMA).

FHA 203(h) For Home Purchase
For disaster victims whose primary residence within a Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster Area (PDMDA) was destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction or replacement is necessary. The FHA 203h disaster loan allows these victims to more easily purchase a Single Family Property as their new principal residence.

Construction & Renovation Loans

HomeStyle Renovation Loan

One Time Close Loan

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans
Low interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may be avaialable.For more information about SBA’s disaster assistance programs, visit www.sba.gov/disaster call their disaster customer service center at 1-800-659-2955, or email [email protected].
SBA Disaster Loans