The Personnel Claims Act (PCA) is a limited substitute for hazard insurance designed to relieve hardships that arise when military personnel or Federal employees are exposed to unusual risks of loss or damages because of their service.
The PCA covers losses of tangible personal property. It does not cover loss of, or damages to real property such as buildings or crops. It also does not cover the loss of intangible property. Intangible property is merely representative of value and has no value in and of itself. Examples of intangible property include nonnegotiable stock certificates, bankbooks, insurance policies, and leases.
Proper claimants under the PCA include all Federal employees, including servicemembers, members of the Army Reserve or the National Guard engaged in active or inactive training, civilian employees of the Army, the Army National Guard, and the Department of Defense.
Claimants are entitled to compensation if they are able to substantiate ownership of the property, that the property was damaged or destroyed, and the value of the property.
The PCA specifically covers losses from on post housing or assigned quarters, including RCI privatized housing, if the losses result from an extraordinary hazard such as a fire.
Claimants with insurance coverage for all or part of the loss must generally file a claim and settle with their insurers before receiving an Army claims payment. However, an emergency partial payment may be appropriate if the claimant has suffered a significant, compensable loss of items that are needed for daily living, and can demonstrate a need for immediate funds to replace some of those items (e.g., food, clothing, or baby items).
Payments of up to $100,000 are authorized for claims arising from emergency evacuation or extraordinary circumstances such as fires.
Persons with questions concerning filing a claim under the Personnel Claims Act should contact the Fort Huachuca Claims Office at (520) 533-0584.
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