Electric Company Pay Back What You Lost in the Fridge Becuase of Power Outage?

Updated on August 31, 2011
K.S. asks from Huntington Beach, CA
20 answers

Anyone hear this rumor? I can send my electric company a letter detailing what I lost (because of Irene knocking out the power) and the approximate amount and they'll reimburse me the money? Cause I'm going to send them pictures if this is true! HAHA

I'm on day 3 of no power and told it could be at least another 4 days. I'm going to have to empty the fridge tonight which may cause me to cry again. Sigh, at least I can put it in the girl's baby books as having survived.

Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone, hubby said this tidbit last night and I had to just check it out.

This was my first hurricane (though I keep getting told it was only a tropical storm when it hit CT) and boy oh boy, I don't think I want to do that again. We had my daughter's birthday party Saturday night and I tried to give as much as possible away but no one wanted it in their fridge when they lost power. :-)

Thanks ladies, at least my family is safe, stinky since we haven't showered, but safe.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

Depends on the company. Back in Feb PEPCO had this offer...kind of.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/weather/lost-power-you-may-be-...

There are a lot of restrictions, though. I wouldn't have my hopes up.

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B.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

No for a couple of different reasons.

First they didn't cause Irene.
Second, there is too much greed and dishonesty among the public. Every pound of 70/30 hamburger would become ground filet mignon. Every chuck steak would become a ribeye.

Too many people would feel their dishonesty would be justified because of electrical rates.

BTW, I saved about 80% of the meat in my freezer by smoking it.

Good luck to you and yours

5 moms found this helpful

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

No, but, homeowners insurance may. You will have a deductible to meet and most people dont have thousands of dollars worth of food inthe fridge. Probably not worth the time.

4 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

No, not in a million years.

It is covered by your homeowners insurance but if I were you I wouldn't make a claim.

3 moms found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Your homeowners policy should cover this...not the electric company. Call & ask your agent.

3 moms found this helpful

C.S.

answers from Kansas City on

No. It's not their fault. The hurricane was an act of God.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from New York on

Good luck with that! :)

Years ago, my former roommate and I sent a check to Con Ed for 125.00 and the bank screwed it up and payed Con Ed 12.50 so they shut our power off for two days until we sent another check. Needless to say, no one paid us a dime for our loses.

I think you will have to file a claim with your home insurance to see any money.

2 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Not here,. Especially if it is because of the weather,.

2 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I seriously doubt it.
When we moved into our new home the power company replaced the wooden pole in the corner of our property and left the old pole laying there on the lawn.
I called them about it and was told their old pole was not their responsibility.
My husband was like "Well whose friggin pole do they THINK it is?" - the power company's NAME is on it.
I finally had my husband tie it to the truck, drag it across the yard and we cut it up to form a flower bed.
You'd think pole replacement and old pole disposal is just a cost of their doing business.
Nope. Disposal's been cut - they don't do that anymore.
There's no way they are going to pay for the contents of your fridge/freezer.
In future you can:
1- get a generator and plenty of fuel to run it on.
2- start cooking/eating before the storm gets to where you are
3- load up your freezer with ice (freeze rinsed out milk jugs - it takes block ice forever to melt) - a full freezer keeps it's cool longer
4- have a eat-it-before-it-goes-bad cook out party where the neighbors get together and cook what they have on propane grills (our neighborhood did that when Isabel came through and power was out for a week).
5- try to double bag spoiled meat. It's going to stink like you wouldn't believe, draw flies and there will be lots of maggots if they can lay eggs in it.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

No, I don't believe its true. I've been through similar outages and that was never part of it. That's why they tell you to prepare for no power so that you don't stock up the fridge.

If you had damage to your house and are filing a claim, you might ask them about it.

2 moms found this helpful
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P.M.

answers from Portland on

No, the storm is not the fault of the electric company, and it would be absurd to expect them to pay for your losses. Give the food away while it's still good. There are plenty of hungry people who could make good use of it!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Charleston on

No way they will not pay! That's just the way it goes, but check with your homeowners. Usually you have a pretty high deductible, but if you have sustained any damages, it would be worth seeing if it meets your deductible, then you could claim the food. Grill it! Don't let it spoil!

1 mom found this helpful

C.C.

answers from San Francisco on

No on the reimbursement, but I wanted to let you know that if you get dry ice from the grocery store, about 20 pounds of it will keep your fridge cold for a few days (as long as you don't open it very often), and 40 pounds will keep your freezer super cold. That's what restaurants do when their fridges and freezers break down, while they're waiting for repairs. If you have a lot of food to save, try dry ice. One word of caution - you do not want to breathe in the dry ice fumes (carbon dioxide) - be aware that you don't want to hang out for a long time with your head in the fridge. :)

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Boston on

Ah....that would be a big fat no. That only works if it's their fault.

And don't bother with home owners insurance either. Most people have a deductible of $1000 at least and in a hurricane there is a separate deductible. Mine is $4400. Hang in there...power will be back eventually and those electric crews are working as hard and as fast as they can.

1 mom found this helpful
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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

Wouldn't that be nice?

1 mom found this helpful
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R.K.

answers from Boston on

No but maybe it's covered under your homeowners insurance

1 mom found this helpful
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A.G.

answers from Albuquerque on

Not a chance if power was lost due to an act of god...which I am guessing is the case based on your location.

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T.W.

answers from New York on

My heart goes out to you. Where about do you live in East Haven? Please tell my you are not in the Cosey Beach area. What we heard was that you have to put all claims through your homeowner's or renter's insurance.

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

I think that has to be just a rumor. Act of God, as someone said...not the power company's fault, or their liability.

M..

answers from Appleton on

I think your home insurance company should cover that loss.

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