Now Available: Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program for Eaton Fire
Voluntary program incorporates community input for eligible individuals and businesses to receive fair resolutions and fast compensation; valuation independently evaluated by RAND.
Starting today, eligible individuals and businesses can submit claims to receive fast payments and fair resolutions for direct impacts from the Eaton Fire through Southern California Edison's Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program.
"We listened to more than a thousand voices and learned what matters most to those impacted by the Eaton Fire: clarity, fairness and speed," said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, the parent company of SCE. "This input helped SCE refine the program to respond directly to the community's needs."
Earlier this fall, more than a dozen listening sessions were held virtually and in person with community members, public officials and legal representatives to capture input on the draft program details that SCE shared in September. Common themes included:
- Determining the eligible population and calculation of property values
- Payments for personal impacts
- How the program works with insurance
- Timing considerations
- Compensation for secondary structures and landscaping
"Expanding the eligibility area is one of the most significant updates made as a result of feedback. The number of qualified properties nearly doubled for those with damage from smoke, soot or ash," added Pizarro.
Following the listening sessions, more than 50 updates were made to the program, including:
- Increased compensation for personal impacts, including 50% more per child in destroyed structures and double the non-economic compensation per child in other impacted properties
- Eliminated additional document requirements to promote efficiency and speed in processing claims for certain properties with non-burn damage and landscaping damage
- Increased monthly fair rental value calculations, providing nearly 17% more compensation for loss of use
While not every request for a change to the program could be made, these impactful updates and all other program requirements are reflected in the updated protocol.
SCE engaged RAND, a highly regarded nonprofit research organization, to thoroughly and independently assess the credibility and equity of the valuation and calculation methodologies developed by Compass Lexecon. Just days ago, RAND published its report, stating that "the data and methods that were used to estimate the pre-fire value, post-fire value and diminution in value for single-family residences destroyed in the Eaton Fire were broadly appropriate. The analyses used modern statistical methods and in our judgment were thoughtfully done and well executed."
"This program is designed to be transparent, swift and sensitive to the needs of those affected," said Kenneth R. Feinberg, the former administrator of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and many similar claims programs. SCE consulted with Feinberg and his colleague Camille S. Biros — leaders in compensation fund design and administration — on designing the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program and finalizing it for today's launch.
"Our goal is for every participant to receive appropriate compensation without the delays, costs and uncertainties of litigation," said Biros.
"This is more than a compensation program; it's a commitment to recovery," added Pizarro.
Upcoming Community Meetings
Multiple sessions have been scheduled for participants to learn more about the program. Registration information is available at sce.com/directclaims for the first two scheduled sessions:
- Saturday, Nov. 1, 10-11:30 a.m., John Muir High School (1905 Lincoln Ave., Pasadena)
- Wednesday, Nov. 5, 7-8:30 p.m. (virtual)
Additional community meetings will be offered. More information on how to participate will be shared in the near future.
At a Glance
The comprehensive program includes owner and tenant claims for total and partial structure loss, commercial property loss, business interruption, non-burn damage (such as smoke, soot or ash), physical injury and loss of life. Complete details of the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program are outlined in the protocol. Key features include:
- Voluntary. No individual claimant is required to accept the amount offered. Only when an offer is accepted does a claimant sign a settlement agreement, which includes the promise not to litigate further. There are no fees or added costs.
- Fair and prompt compensation. Through Fast Pay, claimants will receive a settlement offer within 90 days of a substantially complete submission. Payments will be made within 30 days after all conditions have been satisfied in the settlement agreement, including SCE's receipt of it — signed and notarized. If the complexity of a claim requires analysis beyond the streamlined documentation required in the initial claim form, a Detailed Review will be available.
- Legal representation optional to file a claim. The streamlined application and documentation requirements allow for participation without legal counsel. If claimants choose to be represented by counsel, their attorney must submit the claim on their behalf and facilitate all program communications. SCE will add 10% to the net damages portion of an offer to help address legal costs if a claimant is represented by counsel at the time they submit a claim.
- Multiple components of compensation. In addition to potential compensation for legal costs, offers to claimants include economic loss, non-economic loss and the Direct Claim Premium. SCE will add a Direct Claim Premium to each claimant group's offer. This premium is in addition to the other compensation components that are part of the offer and is only available through the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program — not litigation.
From now through Nov. 30, 2026, claims can be submitted through a secure, dedicated website. In-person support is available for those who need additional help and can be scheduled via a dedicated phone line. To learn more and submit a claim, visit the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program webpage.
About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation's largest electric utilities, serving a population of approximately 15 million via 5 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251029562659/en/
Media Relations: (626) 302-2255
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Investor Relations: Sam Ramraj, (626) 302-2540
Feinberg/Biros: Amy Weiss, (202) 203-0448
[email protected]