What does Edison’s compensation program cover, and how is it different from filing a legal claim?
Edison’s program offers preset payments for property damage, personal property, smoke and ash exposure, injuries, and limited emotional harm. But unlike a legal claim pursued outside of its compensation program, you cannot individualize your damages or tell your story. Edison runs the entire process. It decides who qualifies, how much you are paid, and what evidence counts. If you accept their offer and sign their release, you give up your right to hold them fully accountable in court. In our experience, real recovery comes from cases where survivors can explain what they lost and how they were affected, not from a formula written by the company that caused the fire.
How does Edison decide what my losses are worth?
Edison uses fixed numbers and standardized charts that apply to everyone. They determine how much a destroyed home, a damaged business, or a life-altering experience is worth according to their own internal criteria. These formulas ignore what really happened to you, what you owned, what you lost, and what you lived through. There is no opportunity to sit across the table, no hearing, and no ability to explain your situation. It is a one-size-fits-all approach that prioritizes speed and savings over fairness. The data and modeling they use to determine your real and personal property damage are not disclosed, and, as stated, you do not get to ask to see how they calculated such amounts.
Who is eligible to participate in the program?
Eligibility depends on whether your property is inside Edison’s designated boundary, drawn using CAL FIRE’s Damage Inspection (DINS) map and Edison’s own adjustments. If your residence falls outside the line, even if you suffered damage, you are excluded. For eligibility, the program does not allow appeals or corrections, and you cannot submit your own evidence to prove you belong inside the zone. That means Edison’s map, not your lived experience, decides whether your family qualifies for help.
Does the program include compensation for emotional distress or other personal impacts?
Edison uses the words “Non-Economic Damages” instead of emotional distress and then provides a flat amount. Everyone gets the same amount for non-economic losses, regardless of what they went through. Under the program, you do not get to tell your story – you cannot describe the fear you felt that night, how your children reacted, or what it meant to lose your home, pets, or family heirlooms.
Why doesn’t Edison let survivors tell their personal stories or describe how the fire affected their lives?
Edison’s process is designed to save them money, not accountability. Claims are processed by forms, not conversations. You cannot provide written statements, photographs, or personal narratives that show what you lived through.
How long will it take from submitting my claim to receiving compensation, and what delays should I expect in the process?
Edison’s “Fast Pay” process could take up to 210 days from submission to payment, if you take the full 90 days to accept their offer. The 90-day review period does not begin until Edison decides your claim is “substantially complete,” which is not clearly defined. In practice, the timeline often depends entirely on Edison’s internal review and response times.
What is the difference between Fast Pay and Detailed Review?
Fast Pay offers a payout based on minimal documentation, while Detailed Review requires full access to your insurance records and months of review. Edison says Detailed Review may increase your payout, but it can also result in a lower number, and they decide both figures. It takes up to nine months and often discourages people from even trying. Essentially, Edison designed the process to make you take the first offer and move on rather than fight for what your losses are truly worth.
How do insurance payments affect what Edison pays?
Edison deducts your entire insurance policy limit, not just the amount you received, from your claim. If you had $400,000 in coverage but only claimed or received $300,000, Edison still subtracts the full $400,000 from your compensation. That leftover $100,000 is treated like money you already got, even though you did not.
What happens if I accept Edison’s offer?
Once you accept an offer, you must sign a full release of claims. However, the release that you will be required to sign has not been published. That means you can never sue Edison or seek further recovery, even if new evidence shows they were more at fault or your damages were undervalued.
Who reviews claims and decides what to pay?
Edison’s lawyers and hired consultants manage every step. They determine whether your paperwork is complete, whether your losses qualify, and how much you will receive. You and your lawyer have no power to negotiate or appeal. The entire process happens behind closed doors with no independent oversight, no transparency, and no accountability to the public.
Why should I speak with an attorney before deciding whether to participate?
Because Edison’s program is designed to protect Edison, not you. A qualified attorney can work with you to understand your actual losses, discuss what Edison is offering, and make sure you do not give up valuable rights. In past wildfire cases, survivors who pursued litigation often recovered significantly more than what the utility first offered. Talking to a lawyer before signing anything ensures your story, your losses, and your future are fully represented, not reduced to a line item in Edison’s spreadsheet.
