Natural hazards, financial assistance

  • Service description

    To mitigate exceptional emergencies resulting from uninsurable damage of more than EUR 5,000.00 caused by natural hazards (e.g. extreme weather events, earthquakes, subsidence, landslides, forest fires, floods), which the affected parties are unable to remedy either by their own efforts or by taking appropriate precautions, state financial assistance may be granted for damage to buildings and household contents in private property, agricultural, horticultural and commercial enterprises on the basis of a decision by the responsible regional council.
    Exceptions to this principle require the approval of the Hessian Ministry of Finance. In the case of particularly urgent emergencies, emergency aid of up to 10,000.00 euros can be provided.

  • Which documents are required?

    The documents required to verify the financial circumstances (e.g. income tax statements, pension statements, loan agreements and other documents) are required. They must be enclosed with the application.
    The application forms are attached to the Natural Disaster Damage Guidelines as Model A (agricultural and horticultural businesses), Model B (commercial businesses) and Model C (private claimants).

  • What deadlines do I have to observe?

    The application must be submitted within one month (cut-off period) after the responsible regional council announces the financial aid programme.

    The regional council must first decide - within one week - on an application to be submitted within one week of the damage event by the district committee or the municipal council - in agreement with the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sport - whether a financial aid programme is to be initiated.

    This will be announced in an appropriate manner.
    The Regional Council shall inform the Hessian Ministry of Finance and the responsible specialised ministries no later than the next day after the decision.

  • Legal basis

    Guidelines for the granting of state financial aid in the event of damage caused by natural hazards, enacted on 1 July 2008 by decree of the Hessian Ministry of the Interior and Sport dated 26 June 2008 (Staatsanzeiger für das Land Hessen, 2008, p. 1855).

  • Legal remedy

    No. 1.3 of the guideline points out that the state financial aid is an equitable measure and not compensation and that there is therefore no legal entitlement to compensation for the damage suffered.

  • Typing

    4

Who should I contact?

To the district committee of the district or the magistrate of the independent city in whose area of responsibility the damage occurred.

Responsible departments