The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has expedited access to flood insurance dollars in the wake of Hurricane Ian, according to Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

On Friday, Patronis announced that FEMA had authorized the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to approve Florida’s request for a waiver allowing policyholders within the program to access a portion of their claims without going through the full claims process. Patronis and Gov. Ron DeSantis had requested FEMA waive the usual requirements.

‘Today, FEMA granted a waiver that will allow National Flood Insurance Program policyholders to access tens-of-thousands of dollars upfront without having to go through a normal claims process or involving an adjuster,’ Patronis said in a prepared statement. ‘This process cuts through a lot of red tape, and provides critical funding to policyholders who can provide FEMA with basic information of out-of-pocket expenses related to repair or replacement of NFIP-insured property.’

This program provides NFIP standard flood insurance policy holders $5,000 for combined building and contents losses, or up to $20,000 for policy holders who can provide FEMA with photographic evidence of claims and demonstrate proof incurred out-of-pocket expenses related to repair or replacement of property insured under a standard flood insurance policy.