This means that any borrower who lives within the zip codes published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as being federal disaster areas will not — during the grace period — be charged late fees nor have late payments reported to credit agencies that can negatively impact their credit scores.

In such cases, MBA and its members urge consumers to call their servicers to confirm the length of the grace periods and to discuss additional or long-term solutions. In addition, mortgage bankers often will assist borrowers in making contact with their hazard and flood insurance companies. Given the expected length of time it may take for those hardest hit to recover, mortgage bankers will re-evaluate their policies periodically to determine their appropriateness.

All of the above relief efforts apply to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The MBA and its members continue to encourage these injured parties to directly contact the mortgage company to which they regularly make mortgage loan payments. Most lenders have toll-free phone numbers for consumers to call. A list of top mortgage servicers that are servicing loans in hurricane-affected areas are below.

ABN AMRO
Customer Service: 1-800-783-8900

Aurora Loan Services
Customer Service Department: 1-800-550-0508
Insurance Claims Center: 1-800-723-6578

Bank of America
Special Line for Customers Impacted by
Hurricane Katrina: 1-800-831-5586

Chase Home Finance
Customer Service: 1-800-848-9136 (Motgage)
Customer Service: 1-800-836-5656 (Home Equity)

Chevy Chase Bank, FSB
Customer Service: 1-800-933-9100

Citicorp Trust Bank
Customer Service: 1-800-997-8467

CitiFinancial Mortgage
Customer Service: 1-800-753-3673

CitiMortgage, Inc.
Customer Service: 1-800-283-7918

Colonial Savings, F.A.
Customer Service: 1-800-937-6002

Countrywide Home Loans
Customer Service: 1-800-669-6607

EMC Mortgage
Customer Service: 1-800-723-3004

EverHome Mortgage
Customer Service: 1-800-669-9721.

Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation
Customer Service: 1-800-441-4428

First Horizon National Corporation
Customer Relations: 1-800-364-7662
Insurance Processing Center/Loss Draft Dept: 1-866-497-0530

GMAC Mortgage
Customer Service: 1-800-766-4622

Irwin Mortgage Corporation
Customer Service: 1-800-434-2955

IndyMac Bank
Customer Service: 1-800-781-7399.
Insurance Processing Center/Loss Draft Dept: 1-888-680-6808

Litton Loan Servicing LP
Customer Service: 1-800-247-9727

M&T Mortgage Corporation
Customer Service: 1-800-724-2224
Mortgage Loan Counselors: 1-800-724-1633
Loss Drafts: 1-888-882-1858

Midland Mortgage Co.
Current Loans: 1-800-654-4566

MortgageAmerica
Customer Service: 1-800-448-4059

National City Mortgage Co.
Customer Service: 1-800-822-5626

New Century Financial Corporation
Customer Service: 1-800-967-7623
Loss Mitigation Dept: 1-888-477-0193

New South Federal Savings Bank
Customer Service: 1-800-504-7110

Option One Mortgage
Customer Service: 1-800-648-9605

PHH Mortgage (formerly Cendant Mortgage)
Customer Service: 1-888-882-1855.

Regions Mortgage
Customer Service: 1-800-986-2462

SunTrust
Customer Service: 1-800-634-7928

Washington Mutual
Special Line for Customers Impacted by Hurricane Katrina:
1-800-472-1254
Home Mortgages Customer Service: 1-866-926-8937

Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage: 1-888-818-9147

Wilshire Credit Corporation
Customer Service: 1-888-952-7311