IF YOU HAD FOOD SPOIL, BUSINESS INTERRUPTED OR OTHER DAMAGE FROM POWER OUTAGE, YOU CAN SUBMIT A CLAIM

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Save receipts, take photos, and document your losses

East County News Service

December 8, 2017 (San Diego) – If you suffered damages due to planned power outages, you can submit a claim to SDG&E asking for reimbursement, says Helen Gao. SDG&E has posted information on its website:  https://www.sdge.com/business/services/making-claim or scroll down to view the information provided by the utility:

If you have suffered a loss or damage due to service interruption and believe we may be responsible, you can submit a claim which will be investigated and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please note that we will not be liable for failure to deliver gas or electric service to our customers due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, such as weather conditions, damage by third parties or other intervening damage to our facilities.

Submitting a Claim

You can make a claim by:

  1. Downloading a claims form and submitting it via mail or fax.

Mail to:

San Diego Gas & Electric

Attention: Claims Department

P.O. Box 129831

San Diego, CA 92112

Fax to:

1-858-541-5737

Attention: Claims Department

  1. Calling our Customer Service Center at 1-800-411-SDGE (7343)

    A representative will document your claim information over the phone and provide you with a claim number.

After we receive your claim, a claims representative will contact you within two business days. If your claim was forwarded to our Claims Department by a company field employee, we will make every effort to contact you within three business days.

Our goal is to reach a final decision on any claim within 30-45 days. However, if the incident is complex in nature, the investigation and evaluation period may take longer. At the conclusion of our investigation, you will receive either a call from us or a letter informing you of our decision. If your claim is denied, we will provide you the reason for the denial. If you are not satisfied with our decision you have the option and right at any time during the claims process to file a civil action or a small claims lawsuit. You can also refer your loss to your insurance carrier who may reimburse you subject to policy coverage and any applicable deductible.

Providing Supporting Documentation

To evaluate your claim, we will need the following types of information:

Property Damage:

  • Repair estimates, invoices and proof of purchase

Bodily Injury:

  • Medical records and receipts for services rendered
  • If you are asking for lost wages due to an injury, we will also need:
    • Number of days/weeks you were off work
    • Verification of lost time from your employer
    • Pay stubs verifying your rate of compensation

Business Interruption:

  • Name and type of business
  • Taxpayer I.D.
  • Revenue and expenses statements
  • Sales receipts prior to and after the incident
  • Payroll records
  • Bank statements and/or tax records for the business

Food Loss and Spoilage:

  • Itemized list of the food lost or spoiled with its cost
  • Receipts or other documentation verifying purchase

We evaluate food loss claims based on the recommended guidelines from the U. S. Department of Agriculture:

  • A fully stocked freezer will usually keep food frozen for two days after losing power.
  • A half-full freezer will usually keep contents frozen for about one day.
  • In the refrigerator, food will usually keep up to four hours, depending on the temperature of the room.

By clicking the link, you will leave www.sdge.com and transfer directly to the website of a third party which is not part of SDG&E. The Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy on that website will apply.


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Comments

Receipts?

Really? Who saves a receipt when buying groceries and TP or shampoo?

If you don't have receipts for spoiled food

You could try taking photos of what's in your refrigerator.  You could submit a credit card receipt from your last trip to the grocery store or get a copy of your check from your bank. Or you could ask any witnesses (neighbors, friends, family, etc.) to vouch for what you had.

Our neighbor once had items stolen out of her car including a briefcase with laptop and asked me to vouch that I'd seen these items and seen her load them in her car. It worked and she got paid by her insurance company. 

I don't know exactly what evidence SDG&E would require but it seems these steps would be worth a try. 

I wonder if some sort of baseline could be established; maybe a minimum per person figure for those claiming food spoilage even if they don't have receipts, photos, etc.

I would like to hear from residents who submit claims to hear how cooperative SDG&E is in paying reasonably documented claims.  Please send details to editor@eastcoutnymagazine.org

 

 

 

SDG&E denying damage claims from planned outages

Despite an SDG&E media rep sending us info on how people could submit claims, they are now denying even claims with receipts, saying state law does not require reimbursement under such circumstances.

If you find this objectionable you can contact your state legislators and the CPUC.

I don't know why they sent us  a link with details on how to submit claims if they weren't going to pay any of them.