FEMA has issued a revised policy for its COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program that offers more flexibility for documentation attributing a death caused by the coronavirus.
Beginning immediately, the new policy enables the individual who certified a death or the local medical examiners to provide a letter attributing the death to COVID-19 in lieu of an amended death certificate, which can be a complicated process for applicants.
This flexibility will only be available for deaths that occurred prior to May 16, 2020.
| Current Policy – Eligibility Requirements |
Updated Policy – Eligibility Requirements |
Eligibility Requirements
- Death must have occurred in the U.S., including U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, on or after Jan 20, 2020
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien
- Deceased individual does not have to be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien
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Eligibility Requirements
- No change from current policy
- No change from current policy
- No change from current policy
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| Current Policy – Documentation Requirements |
Updated Policy – Documentation Requirements |
- Death certificate attributing death to COVID-19
- Documentation proving applicant incurred COVID-19-related funeral expenses
- Proof of funds from other sources specifically for COVID-19-related funeral expenses
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- Cause of death attribution to COVID-19
- Death certificate w/o COVID-19 attribution (only deaths between Jan 20 - May 16, 2020): Death certificate and statement from certifying official, coroner, or medical examiner and specifying the causal pathway between cause of death on the death certificate and COVID-19
- Death Certificate attributing death to COVID-19 (deaths after May 16, 2020)
- No change from current policy
- No change from current policy
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You can read FEMA’s press release about the change here.
More information about FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance can be found on: