Southern California Edison said Thursday it has extended 210 offers totaling $117 million to individuals and businesses affected by the Eaton Fire, marking the 90-day milestone of its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program.
The program, launched October 29, offers expedited payments to fire survivors as an alternative to litigation.
“Our hope is that people will take a look at the program, fill out a claim and see if it is the right decision for them,” said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE’s parent company, in a statement released Thursday.
As of January 29, the program has received 2,149 claims representing more than 6,000 individuals.
Edison has issued 59 payments to date.
Offers have ranged from $13.1 million for a claimant with multiple properties to $20,000 for smaller claims.
On average, claimants receive offers within 30 days of submitting a substantially complete claim, according to Edison. Payments are made within 30 days after all conditions in the settlement agreement are satisfied.
About 30 percent of claims have been submitted by plaintiffs’ attorneys. Edison recently introduced a batch intake process allowing law firms to submit multiple claims through a single process.
The program covers total and partial structure loss, commercial property damage, business interruption, smoke and ash damage, physical injury and loss of life. Claimants are not required to have legal representation.
Edison engaged Kenneth Feinberg, who administered the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and colleague Camille Biros to consult on the program’s design.
Claims will be accepted through November 30, 2026.
Not all fire survivors have embraced the program. The Eaton Fire Survivors Network, a grassroots organization with thousands of members, has criticized the compensation structure.
Critics have argued the program’s payment caps could result in lower compensation than survivors might receive through litigation. Attorneys representing fire survivors have also expressed concern that the program requires participants to release all claims against Edison, including future health-related claims.
Edison has maintained the program offers faster resolution than court proceedings, which could take years.
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