Banks Trying to Expedite New York Storm Insurance Checks

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The New York Department of Financial Services says five of the state’s largest banks and mortgage services will have representatives available this week to help homeowners cash insurance settlement checks from Superstorm Sandy.

Lender representatives will be at Disaster Assistance Centers on Long Island and New York City this Monday through Saturday to help owners complete steps for their banks endorse the settlement checks that are often written jointly.

Lenders are JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, CitiMortgage and Ocwen Loan Servicing.

Representatives from Assurant will be on hand on behalf of dozens of smaller banks and mortgage servicers.

The centers are in Long Beach, Seaford, Copiague, Averne and Staten Island.

The department says it recently found banks holding more than $200 million in insurance funds from Sandy victims.

[The department’s Disaster Assistance Centers will be conducted at these locations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday:

• Recreation Center and Ice Arena, 700 Magnolia Blvd., Long Beach.

• Cedar Creek Park, Merrick Rd. East, Seaford.

• Copiague Memorial Library, 50 Deauville Blvd., Copiague.

• Averne by the Sea, 68-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Averne.

• Former Kia, 1976 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island.

In addition, representatives from these five bank representatives along with OneWest bank (on a limited basis) will be available on the department’s Mobile Command Center, which will be visiting the following locations:

• Monday, March 4 – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. , at 131 Irwin St, Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn.

• Tuesday, March 5 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Lawrence Village Hall, 196 Central Ave., Lawrence in Nassau County.

• Wednesday, March 6 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Burns Park, 4990 Merrick Rd, East Massapequa, in Nassau County.

• Thursday, March 7 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 2660 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island.

• Friday, March 8 – 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 112-15 Beach Channel Dr., Belle Harbor, Rockaways.

• Saturday, March 9 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Holy Family Church, 9719 Flatlands Ave, Canarsie, Brooklyn.]