(a) Protecting property. It is the responsibility of the borrower to immediately notify the County Supervisor and insurance company or agent of any loss or damage to insured property and collect the amount of the loss. When the County Supervisor learns of a loss to property which secures an Agency loan, he will:
(1) Check the borrower's casefile for an insurance policy or other evidence of insurance. When a policy or other evidence of insurance has not been retained by the Agency, such as for FP and section 502 RH borrowers, the County Supervisor will determine whether the property was insured and whether the Agency was named as mortgagee in the insurance policy.
(2) Determine that the borrower has taken such steps as are necessary to protect the interest of the Agency in the security property against further damage. When serious problems arise with respect to protecting the property from further damage, the borrower cannot or will not arrange adequate protection for the property, or when legal action appears to be necessary, the County Supervisor will arrange for emergency protection and immediately refer the case with complete information to the State Director.
(b) Loss covered by insurance.
(1) If the Agency is listed as mortgagee in the insurance policy, the County Supervisor will collect the amount of the loss and may consent to the borrower using funds to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property or to apply loss proceeds to his loan account or to any prior liens that might exist in the order of their priority.
(2) If the Agency is not listed as mortgagee in the insurance policy, the County Supervisor will contact the borrower to determine whether he has received the loss proceeds. If the borrower has received the loss proceeds but not yet paid for improvements to repair or replace the property, or has not received the loss proceeds the County Supervisor will:
(i) Notify the insurance company in writing of the Agency's interest in the security property and request that the loss proceeds be made payable jointly to the Agency and the borrower.
(ii) Inform the borrower of his responsibility for repairing or replacing the damaged or destroyed property or for authorized disposition of the loss proceeds as outlined in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
(c) Loss drafts - when loan is secured by a first mortgage.
(1) A loss draft which in the opinion of the County Supervisor represents a satisfactory adjustment of the loss will be endorsed immediately without recourse and deposited in a supervised bank account to be used in repairing or replacing the damaged building, except:
(i) Where the amount of the loss is $1,000 or less and the borrower will use the funds for repairing or replacing an essential building, the loss draft may be endorsed without recourse and given to the borrower upon satisfactory proof that the repairs or replacements have been made, or upon satisfactory assurance that the work will be performed.
(ii) When
(A) the essential buildings are not to be repaired or replaced and other suitable buildings are not to be erected, or
(B) a balance remains after all repairs, replacements, and other authorized disbursements have been made, such insurance funds will be applied on prior liens or as an extra payment to the borrower's loan accounts secured by the real estate or disposed of in accordance with the general principles applicable to the use of proceeds from the sale of a part of the security contained in applicable security servicing regulations for the type loan involved.
(iii) An insurance payment for loss or damage to a nonessential building the borrower voluntarily insured will be
(A) applied on prior liens, or to current delinquencies to the Agency or as an extra payment on the borrower's loan accounts secured by real estate,
(B) disposed of as authorized by the State Director in accordance with the general principles applicable to the use of proceeds from the sale of a part of the security contained in applicable security servicing regulations for the type loan involved, or
(C) used for other purposes as authorized by the State Director if the loan is adequately secured and the loan account is current.
(iv) When the indebtedness secured by the insured property has been paid in full or the draft is in payment for loss of property on which the Agency has no claim, a loss draft which includes the Agency as a joint payee may be endorsed without recourse and delivered to the borrower.
(2) [Reserved]
(d) Loss drafts - When loan is secured by other than first mortgage.
(1) When the loss draft does not include the interest of a prior mortgagee, it will be processed as provided in paragraph (c) of this section.
(2) When the loss draft includes the interest of a prior mortgagee, the County Supervisor is authorized to endorse and process the draft as follows:
(i) When the prior mortgagee will permit the use of such loss funds to repair or replace the damaged building, the draft may be endorsed without recourse upon satisfactory proof that the repairs or replacements have been made or upon satisfactory assurance that the work will be performed.
(ii) When the amount of the draft does not exceed the amount of the indebtedness then secured by the prior mortgage as stated in writing by the holder of the prior mortgage, and the holder of the prior mortgage has agreed in a written statement to the County Supervisor that he will apply such funds as a payment on the borrower's prior mortgage indebtedness, the draft may be endorsed without recourse.
(iii) When the amount of the draft exceeds the amount of the indebtedness then secured by the prior mortgage, as stated in writing by the holder, and he has agreed in writing to pay such indebtedness from the loss funds, the draft will be endorsed without recourse only after all parties named as payees in the draft have signed an agreement to deliver the draft “in escrow” to a bank acceptable to the named parties. The agreement will specify the manner in which the funds will be disbursed by the bank, as escrow agent, to the several mortgagees named in the draft. After the loss funds have been collected by the bank, it will issue cashier's checks in the manner prescribed in the escrow agreement (see exhibit A for suggested form). If this procedure is found to be impractical in an individual instance, the State Director may authorize an alternative method for disbursing the loss funds to protect the Government's financial interest.
(iv) Drafts which have been endorsed by all other payees will be endorsed immediately without recourse. Such drafts or other loss funds will be processed in accordance with the methods described in paragraph (c) of this section.
(e) Servicing insurance losses under special circumstances -
(1) Foreclosures and voluntary conveyances. Losses on properties in process of foreclosure or voluntary conveyance will be handled with the advice of the OGC. If the necessary cooperation of the borrower cannot be obtained, the State Director, with the advice of the OGC, will determine the proper action to be taken. To the extent feasible from a legal and practical standpoint, all loss payments should be received for a damaged or destroyed building and applied on the borrower's real estate indebtedness before title to the property is taken by the Government through foreclosure sale, voluntary conveyance, or otherwise, unless absolute assignment has been made by the borrower to the Government of all loss funds due from the insurance company.
(2) Subrogation agreements. When a company claims nonliability to the borrower and subrogation to the rights of the Agency, the County Supervisor will forward a full report of the facts in the case to the State Director. The State Director will upon advice from OGC, instruct the County Supervisor regarding further action to be taken.
(f) Repairs and replacements. When any loss payments have been deposited in a supervised bank account, all repairs and replacements done by or under the direction of the borrower, or by contract, will be planned, performed, inspected, and paid for in the same manner as improvements financed with loan funds.
(g) Completing adjustment. The borrower must complete the adjustment of the loss with the company or its authorized representatives. The County Supervisor, upon request of the borrower may consult with the borrower regarding the loss adjustment, but will not enter into negotiations with insurance adjusters or company representatives relative to the adjustment or settlement of losses on borrower property, or make any commitments, or sign any forms in connection with the adjustment of the loss. The Agency will not waive any rights which it may have against the company except when the borrower's account or the Agency claim has been paid-in-full.
(1) The County Supervisor will maintain a proper followup on all losses until satisfactory settlement has been made by the company.
(2) Where the County Supervisor has evidence that the adjustment agreed to by the borrower is significantly less than the amount of damage to which the borrower is entitled under the terms of the policy, the loss draft accompanied by a report will be sent to the State Director so that he may reopen the adjustment, if he considers it is in the interest of the Agency to do so.
(3) When it appears evident that the amount of the loss is $1,000 or less, the County Supervisor may rely on estimates of contractors, building supply firms, reliable carpenters, or other evidence rather than personal inspection in determining whether the adjustment is equitable and the Government's interest is protected.
(h) Reinstatement after loss. In cases where insurance in the amount of the loss is not reinstated automatically by the provisions of the policy, it will be the responsibility of the County Supervisor to have the borrower reinstate as much of the insurance as may be necessary to fulfill the requirements of the Agency.
(i) Losses not covered by insurance. When a loss occurs and insurance is not in force, the County Supervisor will:
(1) Inform the borrower that he has violated the security instrument by not providing insurance coverage and that it is his responsibility to make the needed replacements or repairs.
(2) If the borrower is unable or unwilling to make needed repairs or replacements from his own resources, the County Supervisor will submit complete information to the Agency official authorized to determine whether the Agency will or will not continue with the loan. The County Supervisor's report will include recommendations on the following items:
(i) The advisability and possibility of making a subsequent loan to pay for needed repairs.
(ii) Subordination of the Agency real estate lien to permit the borrower to obtain funds for needed repairs from another source.
(iii) The possibility of the borrower obtaining funds secured by a junior lien from another source.
(iv) Whether an advance is needed to protect the Government's interest in the property.
(3) If the loan will not be continued with the borrower, it must be serviced in accordance with the applicable Instructions.
(4) If the borrower has improperly disposed of loss proceeds, the County Supervisor will refer the case with complete information and recommendations to the State Director. The State Director will consult the Regional Attorney when necessary and advise the County Supervisor as to appropriate servicing actions.
[41 FR 34571, Aug. 16, 1976, as amended at 50 FR 39638, Sept. 30, 1985; 80 FR 9865, Feb. 24, 2015]