Call your mortgage servicer as soon as you can, explain whether the property is habitable and whether your income has been interrupted, and ask for every available disaster-relief option in writing. A wildfire does not cancel the mortgage: as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) states, “After a disaster you still have to pay your mortgage.” Your servicer can sometimes pause or reduce payments, but the unpaid amount remains owed and the repayment terms depend on the loan’s owner, guarantor, insurer, your policy and the damage.
Prepare before you call
A short, factual summary helps the disaster or loss-mitigation department route your request correctly. Gather the following information, but do not delay the call if some items are missing.
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- The wildfire date and any evacuation or disaster-declaration information you have.
- The property’s current condition: habitable, temporarily uninhabitable, partially damaged or destroyed.
- Whether you are still receiving income and, if not, how your income changed.
- Your loan number, property address and the best phone, email and mailing address for temporary housing.
- Your homeowner-insurance claim number, adjuster’s contact information and any estimate or payment notice already received.
- Photos or videos of damage, contractor estimates and notices from local authorities, when it is safe and lawful to collect them.
Do not send original documents unless the servicer specifically requires them. Keep a dated copy of everything you submit.
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Start the conversation with a clear statement
You can adapt this script:
“I’m calling because my home was damaged by a wildfire on [date]. It is [habitable/not habitable/destroyed], and my income has been [affected/not affected]. Please tell me which disaster-relief options apply to my loan, what documents you need and what deadlines I must meet.”
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Ask the representative to note the wildfire, the property status and any payment difficulty in your account. Request the name or identification number of the person helping you, the department handling the request and a direct callback method.
First identify who controls the rules for your loan
The company receiving your payment (the servicer) may not own the loan. Eligibility and procedures can differ for loans backed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Housing Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture or another guarantor, compared with privately held loans. Ask:
- “Who owns, guarantees or insures my loan?”
- “Which disaster-relief policy are you applying to my account?”
- “Is there a special wildfire or federally declared-disaster process for this property?”
- “Does my loan have a deadline to request assistance, and when does that period end?”
Do not assume a federal disaster declaration exists for your address. A declaration, if any, does not by itself guarantee a particular mortgage remedy.
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Ask for the complete terms of payment relief
Forbearance generally pauses or reduces payments for a specified period. It is not forgiveness: the missed amount remains due, and interest or other charges may continue unless the written agreement says otherwise. Before accepting an offer, ask the servicer to explain the points below and provide the answer in writing.
| Relief path | What may happen during the plan | What to ask before agreeing |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary forbearance | Payments are paused or reduced for set dates; the balance is still owed. | Exact start and end dates; whether interest, escrow advances or fees accrue; credit-reporting treatment; and the repayment method. |
| Reinstatement | All deferred amounts are paid in one lump sum when the plan ends. | The total dollar amount, due date and whether another option is available if a lump sum is impossible. |
| Repayment plan | The missed amount is spread over a period, increasing regular payments temporarily. | New payment amount, duration, affordability review and what happens after a missed installment. |
| Payment deferral | Eligible amounts may be moved to the end of the loan or another scheduled payoff date. | Eligibility, interest treatment, maturity or payoff changes, and whether a separate agreement or lien is recorded. |
| Loan modification | The contract may be changed to make the payment or term more manageable. | Required income and hardship documents, trial payments, fees, interest rate, term and effect on the total balance. |
These are possible paths, not automatic entitlements. Freddie Mac describes reinstatement and repayment plans as examples of ways a borrower might resolve a forbearance balance. Fannie Mae disaster guidance also identifies possible options such as forbearance, payment deferral or modification for eligible borrowers. Your servicer must determine which, if any, applies to your loan.
Questions about fees, interest and credit reports
- “Will you waive late fees, and from what date?”
- “Does interest continue to accrue on the unpaid principal?”
- “Will escrow for taxes and insurance continue, and could an escrow shortage change my future payment?”
- “How will each month be reported to the credit bureaus while the agreement is active?”
- “Will an inspection, certification or signed agreement be required before the relief starts?”
Do not stop paying solely because you requested help. Continue payments if you can until the servicer confirms the effective date and instructions. If you cannot pay, say so plainly and ask what amount, if any, is due while the request is under review.
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Ask exactly what happens when relief ends
Request a written schedule showing the normal payment, the temporary payment, the deferred amount and the first payment due after the plan. Ask which exit options you qualify for and what restrictions apply. Some programs require a review of income, occupancy, insurance status or delinquency before offering a deferral or modification. A representative’s statement that “someone will contact you” is not a repayment plan; obtain dates, amounts and the responsible department.
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Open the homeowner-insurance claim promptly and ask the insurer about notice deadlines, emergency repairs, documentation and additional-living-expense coverage. Several policies can affect disaster losses, and federal disaster assistance may cover some damage insurance does not. Eligibility and payment amounts are not guaranteed, so confirm them with the relevant agency.
Tell the servicer the claim number, adjuster, date of inspection, estimated loss and whether a payment has been issued or is expected. Ask:
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- “What documents do you need from the insurer, adjuster or contractor?”
- “Will insurance checks be payable to both of us, held by you or deposited into a restricted account?”
- “Who endorses or releases the checks?”
- “What inspections, permits, bids or repair milestones are required before each release?”
- “How do I report a delay, disputed estimate or change in the rebuilding plan?”
Fannie Mae’s servicing guidance directs servicers to track the extent of disaster damage, insurance-claim status and proceeds paid or expected for properties securing its loans. That guidance does not create one universal loss-draft procedure for every servicer or loan. Obtain loan-specific instructions before signing a contractor agreement that assumes immediate access to insurance funds.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the home is uninhabitable or destroyed
State the status explicitly; do not rely on the servicer inferring it from an insurance claim. Ask how the condition affects payment relief, property inspections, insurance proceeds, occupancy requirements and any rebuilding deadline. Keep the servicer informed if the local authority changes the property’s safety status.
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If rebuilding is impossible or you are considering selling the damaged property, ask the servicer how insurance proceeds, the outstanding balance and any proposed sale will be handled before you sign a settlement. A short payoff, deed-in-lieu or foreclosure alternative has separate eligibility and tax consequences; request specialized advice rather than assuming disaster relief changes those rules.
Get every decision and deadline in writing
Ask for a letter, secure message or agreement that includes:
- The approved or denied relief type and the exact effective dates.
- The payment amount due during the plan and the first regular payment afterward.
- The deferred balance, interest and fee treatment, and the repayment route.
- Credit-reporting treatment and any requirement to resume automatic payments.
- Documents still needed, submission method and deadlines.
- Insurance-check instructions, inspection standards and the contact for loss-draft questions.
- The next review date and a phone number or secure-message path for follow-up.
Read the agreement for a clause that makes the entire deferred amount due at once. If the document conflicts with what you were told, pause and ask for correction before signing.
Keep a disaster mortgage file
Use one folder, physical or digital, for payment confirmations, statements, claim correspondence, photos, estimates and call notes. For every call, record the date, time, number dialed, representative, confirmation number, promises made and your next action. Send important questions through the servicer’s secure message system or certified mail when appropriate so there is a dated record.
Escalate when you cannot get a clear answer
- Ask for a supervisor or the department that handles disaster claims, loss drafts or payment assistance.
- Request the policy, agreement and denial reason in writing, including the appeal or review process.
- Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. Counselors can help explain documents and organize questions, but they cannot guarantee approval.
- Use the CFPB’s housing-counselor referral resources or the Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline identified by the Federal Housing Finance Agency if you need help reaching the servicer.
- Continue complying with written payment instructions while the dispute is reviewed, and keep proof of every submission.
If you receive foreclosure notices, a sale date or a demand for immediate payment, treat it as urgent and seek qualified legal or housing counseling help. A pending insurance claim or relief request does not automatically stop foreclosure activity.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming the mortgage disappears because the structure was destroyed.
- Assuming a payment pause is forgiveness or that the deferred amount automatically moves to the loan’s end.
- Stopping payments before the servicer confirms the plan’s effective date.
- Accepting a verbal promise without the amount, dates and repayment method in writing.
- Spending insurance proceeds before learning whether the servicer must hold or release them in stages.
- Missing a request window or document deadline because no one identified it clearly.
- Assuming a neighbor’s relief terms apply to your loan, insurer or county.
A practical call checklist
Have this list open during the conversation:
- Report the wildfire date, property condition and income interruption.
- Identify the loan owner, guarantor or insurer and the applicable disaster policy.
- Ask whether you qualify for a pause, reduction, repayment plan, deferral or modification.
- Confirm fees, interest, escrow, credit reporting, deadlines and required documents.
- Ask how the insurance claim, checks, inspections and repair milestones will be handled.
- Request the complete agreement, payment schedule and next contact date in writing.
- Record the representative’s name, department and confirmation number.
The goal is not merely to postpone one payment. It is to leave the call knowing who controls the loan, what you must pay now, how the wildfire claim affects the property and insurance proceeds, and exactly how any temporary relief will be resolved.
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