Coronavirus Information and Resources
FEMA continues to offer reimbursement of funeral costs for COVID-related deaths
PHILADELPHIA – The COVID-19 pandemic has been incredibly difficult for all
Americans, but even more so for those who lost a loved one to the virus. The unex-
pected and sometimes sudden loss of a loved one has placed a heavy burden on many
thousands of Americans.
FEMA offers help through the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program, which
allows eligible funeral expenses to be reimbursed directly to the loved ones who
incurred those expenses.
Individuals who apply may receive up to $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of
$35,500 for multiple funerals that occurred within the same state or territory. The
sooner people with eligible expenses begin their application, the sooner they can
receive their reimbursement.
“When people think of FEMA’s role in the COVID-19 response, they often think
of the work we have done to get shots in arms. That is an important and ongoing mis-
sion, but there are other ways we offer support,” said FEMA Region 3 Acting Regional
Administrator Janice Barlow. “Our hearts go out to those grieving the loss of a loved
one to COVID-19. We hope that through our Funeral Assistance Program, FEMA can
help ease some of that burden.”
One of the most important steps for individuals interested in applying is to first
understand the program’s eligibility and documentation requirements. To be eligible
for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:
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The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories,
and the District of Columbia.
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
The person applying on behalf of the deceased individual must be a U.S. citizen, non-
citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after Jan. 20, 2020.
If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to gather the following
documentation and have it ready when you start your application:
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An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to
COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the
U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that include
the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses
and the dates the funeral expenses happened.
Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We
are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial
assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies or other sources.
The program does reimburse eligible expenses; however, patience is encouraged
upon submitting your application. It can take several weeks from the time all the neces-
sary documentation has been collected for the funds to be disbursed.
The best way to reduce the wait and speed up the process is to be prepared with
all of the required paperwork when you start the process. After you apply, stay tuned
for any communications from FEMA as follow-up questions may be asked to continue
processing the application.
How to Apply
Call this dedicated toll-free phone number to complete a COVID-19 Funeral
Assistance application with help from FEMA’s representatives. Multilingual services
are available.
COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line: 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT
If you use a relay service, such as your videophone, Innocaption or CapTel, please
provide your specific number assigned to that service. It is important that FEMA is
able to contact you and you should be aware phone calls from FEMA may come from
an unidentified number.
October 2021
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Siletz News
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