ComEd customers impacted by widespread power outage can file claims for spoiled food

CHICAGO (WLS) -- ComEd customers affected by last week's power outage may be able to file a claim for things like spoiled food.

Several people have contacted ABC7 said they lost a lot of food last week due to the massive power outage. Hundreds of thousands of people in the Chicago area were impacted by the storms, which left many people in the dark for days.

One viewer reached out on Twitter and said, "Sam, can you please tell us how to get a rebate for spoiled food from Commonwealth Edison? The South Suburbs were hit very hard by the storm on last Monday. I do not have food receipts from weeks or months ago. Help?"

ComEd says customers can file claims for things like spoiled food and property damage.

You can either file a claim online or call ComEd and they will mail the claim for to you.

Once the form is received, you will be assigned a case manager and they will determine if your claim meets the criteria for reimbursement.

Some ComEd customers voiced concerns about filing a claim, fearing it would be automatically denied because the storm was an "Act of God."

ComEd told the I-Team, "I would encourage your viewers to file a claim. Every situation is unique. So it is difficult to say if claims will be categorically denied due to factors beyond ComEd's control, such as storms or outside interference. ComEd does not want to discourage any customer from filing a claim. However, we hope to set expectations by sharing that not all claims will meet the criteria for reimbursement."

ComEd statement:

There are two ways ComEd customers can access and file a property damage claim:
1. Visit https://www.comed.com/MyAccount/CustomerSupport/Pages/DamageClaim.aspx

2. Call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661) to request that a claim form mailed to the customer.

The definition of property includes food. There is a line in the ComEd claim form that states "...If your claim is for food spoilage, your documentation should include an itemized list of spoiled items..."

Once the completed form is received, the customer's claim will be registered and assigned to a case manager. Once resolved, the case manager will contact the customer at the telephone number, email or mail address they include in the form.

.ComEd reviews each claim thoroughly and pays claims when it is responsible for a loss. While customers should feel free to file a claim with ComEd after a storm, not all claims meet the criteria for reimbursement."