New York City residents and small business owners who lost power for an extended stretch deal with spoiled food and prescription medication, or lost perishable merchandise — especially in outage-prone Queens neighborhoods like Jamaica, Flushing, Richmond Hills, and Staten Island.
Here’s what you need if you faced a power outage and are seeking reimbursement.
Am I eligible for a Con Edison reimbursement claim?
If you experienced a power outage that lasted more than 12 hours within a 24-hour period, you may be eligible for reimbursement for spoiled food or prescription medication.
The deadline for filing a claim is within 30 days of the outage.
What do I need to file a claim?
Your claim needs to consider basic contact information, including your home address, account number, the outage date, and an itemized list of what you’re claiming. Don’t include your Social Security number on the form.
Where can I find my account number?
If you’re a renter
- Check your utility bill for your account number. Learn more: Where can I find my Con Edison account number?
- If you do not pay the utility bill directly, such as when utilities are handled by your landlord or included in your rent, contact your landlord or property owner for the account information.
If you live in NYCHA public housing
- Many NYCHA buildings are master-metered, meaning utilities are included and residents do not receive a separate utility bill.
- If you need the account number associated with your building or shared meter, contact your property manager or NYCHA.
If your building has a shared meter
- Contact your property owner, landlord or co-op board to ask for the shared meter account number.
- You can also contact Con Edison directly for help identifying the shared meter account.
What can I include in my residential claim?
In a residential claim you can include:
- Up to $655 for spoiled food.
- Claims up to $280 require an itemized list.
- Claims between $280 and $655 require an itemized list and proof of actual loss.
- File your claim here.
Prescription medication is claimed separately from the food maximum, with proof of loss required. Con Edison gives an example to visualize how they calculate the loss: if you paid $300 for a 30-day supply of medication and there are five days left in your prescribed supply, your claim should be for $50.
What do I need to include as proof of loss?
Proof of loss can be:
- Itemized receipts
- Cash register tapes
- Credit card receipts
- Canceled checks
- Clean, identifying price labels or bar codes from merchandise
- Photos of spoiled food showing the actual loss
What can constitute a commercial claim?
- Up to $12,900 for spoiled perishable merchandise, with an itemized list and proof of loss required.
- File your claim here.
How do I file a claim for spoiled food or medication?
Online: File directly here.
By mail or email: Download the form in your language here. Email it to NewClaims@coned.com, or mail it to Con Edison Claims Department, PO Box 801, New York, NY 10276.
By phone: (800) 752-6633, 24/7.
Con Edison denied my reimbursement claim. Can I appeal?
According to Con Edison’s website, claims for outages caused by weather — storms, blizzards, and similar conditions — will not be paid. Losses from damage to motors, equipment, or appliances are also not reimbursable.
If your claim gets denied, you can reapply the claim again, or call the Claim Department at (212) 460-3221. If the issue isn’t resolved, or you’re unsatisfied with Con Edison’s response, you can file a complaint with the New York State Department of Public Service here. They accept complaints by phone, mail, in person, or online.
