WTF Feds?

The recent devastating storm brought something interesting to the surface. We had some major damage to our property, however we have good insurance, but we have been advised by everyone that we should file a claim with FEMA. Even on radio interviews the FEMA representatives pleaded with people to file a claim even if property damage was minimal. Hopefully we can get something that may cover some expenses that aren’t covered by our insurance. So I gathered up all the information I would need to apply and prepared to spend a couple hours in the Josie Peper Building where FEMA set up shop after moving from Seaside.

One warning we got from the representatives was that our claim will be denied, but we must appeal, and each time we are denied we must appeal. We may be denied several times, but eventually we will get something.

FEMA then sent us over to the SBA. There we had to do another application with most of the same information and there, too we were warned that we will be turned down for a SBA loan, but we should be persistent and appeal every denial.

A few years ago my wife suffered a medical trauma which made her totally unable to work in her highly skilled profession any longer. Though she has long term disability insurance, it is arduous because she has to constantly prove that she has not recovered to the point where she can ever work again. Her physicians keep telling the LTD company that this is as good as she is going to get. She applied for Social Security Disability. There, too she is greeted with the phrase, “you will be turned down the first couple of times but be persistent and appeal.” So far she is on her second appeal and we are now waiting for the next step which will be a hearing. We also hear that it takes between three and five years to get it resolved.

I wonder how much the Federal government saves by denying claims and having claimants give up out of frustration. The thing about Social Security is that when they do have to pay up, they have to pay benefits from the time one first applies.

One piece of advice I can give to anyone who finds themselves, or has a spouse suddenly struck down by anything medical that may possibly impinge upon their ability to work in their profession; apply for Social Security immediately. I mean immediately while they are still in the hospital. I mean while they are being wheeled from the ER to being admitted, you need to be applying at that moment. It seems that people who do this get approved in weeks without any fight.

Most people can not fathom how their lives will be impacted if one wage earning member of the family can suddenly no longer work. Most people are so optimistic and think things will return to normal one day. Sometimes they don’t ever return to normal. It is far better to prepare for a disaster and if things happen to work out enabling one to return to their former life, no harm, no foul. But it feels much better knowing you have a safety net if events don’t materialize as you had hoped.