On February 26, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that Fannie Mae, through Lender Letter LL-2013-03, and Freddie Mac, through Bulletin 2013-4, implemented new rules to accelerate the release of insurance proceeds to homeowners affected by Hurricane Sandy by reducing restrictions on how banks and mortgage servicers may release insurance money. Effective immediately, for borrowers who were current on their payments before Sandy and have less than 80 percent damage to their homes, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicers have broad discretion to disburse insurance proceeds. The New York Department of Financial Services urged banks and mortgage servicers to immediately adjust their policies and begin using the new discretion to release insurance funds to covered borrowers.
