N.Y. Sen. Gillibrand Calls for More Transparency in NFIP Claims Process

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, is announcing legislation to require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be more accountable to property owners who file claims.

Gillibrand says many New Yorkers whose homes were damaged or destroyed during Superstorm Sandy three years ago faced a burdensome and fraud-ridden claims process.

Gillibrand announced legislation called the Flood Insurance Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015.

It would require more transparency so that property owners have access to documents related to their insurance claims.

There were reports following Sandy that individuals hired by insurance companies to document structural damage to homes fraudulently altered the engineering reports.

Gillibrand says the homeowners had no way of knowing that the reports had been altered.

FEMA oversees the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).