IL HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS OFFERED HELP IN FILING INSURANCE CLAIMS

Chicago, IL - Illinois Holocaust survivors with unpaid World War II era insurance claims can seek help at workshops being co-sponsored by the Illinois Department of Insurance and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) on June 11 and June 17 at the Holiday Inn North Shore, 5300 W. Touhy Ave. in Skokie. The workshops are scheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 11 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 17.

"The Illinois workshops are part of a nationwide initiative coordinated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to resolve the outstanding insurance claims of Holocaust survivors and their heirs," noted Arnold Dutcher, Acting Illinois Insurance Director. "Staff members from several sponsoring agencies will assist people in filling out forms for uncollected insurance claims on life, dowry or property insurance policies held with a European insurance company at the time of the war."

Claims information collected in Skokie will be forwarded to the Holocaust Claims Processing Office (HCPO), a uniform, centralized claims processing system operated by the New York State Banking Department. The HCPO is staffed by highly trained claims specialists who will file the claims with all appropriate bodies in Europe and follow-up to ensure that thorough consideration is given to all claimants. Claimants unable to attend a workshop may contact the HCPO at 1-800-695-3318.

The JCRC is an umbrella association for 39 major Jewish organizations in the Chicago area and the community relations arm of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. Affiliate organizations participating in the workshops include the Council for Jewish Elderly, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Hineinu, Jewish Family and Community Service, the Holocaust Memorial Foundation of Illinois, and Sheerit Hapleitah of Metropolitan Chicago.