PSEG LI asks customers impacted by Isaias for proof of spoiled food, medicine for reimbursement

PSEG Long Island has agreed to reimburse residents for certain items when their power went out in the wake of Tropical Storm Isaias, but getting that money may not be easy.

News 12 Staff

Aug 18, 2020, 6:53 PM

Updated 1,484 days ago

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PSEG Long Island has agreed to reimburse residents for certain items when their power went out in the wake of Tropical Storm Isaias, but getting that money may not be easy.
It is now two weeks since the powerful storm blew through Long Island, causing extensive damage and leaving many without power.
On Monday, PSEG Long Island said it will reimburse customers who had an outage of 72 hours or more between Aug. 4 and 12, which resulted in spoiled food and medication. The company says it will reimburse $250 for food and $300 for lost medicine.
Customers who want to be reimbursed can do so by filling out a claim on the PSEG Long Island website. For food claims under $150, residents must include an itemized list of what they lost. For claims over $150, residents must provide the itemized list as well as proof, which includes a store or credit card receipt, canceled check or photos of the spoiled food.
"To actually add up everything, it had to be in excess of $300," says William Verret, of Seaford. He says he lost most of what was in his freezer in his garage after Isaias, and he says PSEG Long Island's reimbursement plan is creating another headache.
Verret says his wife spent the better part of Tuesday morning making an itemized list of what they lost for their claim, but adds that they do not have proof.
"We have no receipts. It's just prices and items, and then for the more recent stuff, it's our ATM saving history with the transaction to the grocery store circled," Verret says.
William says he lost power for almost an entire week. And while he's glad the utility came up with a plan, he feels any sort of reimbursement shouldn't have come with a great deal of work.
"In light of everything that everyone went through, in a way, it's putting a big burden on your customer when at the time you should be looking to do something right by them, not create more work for them," Verret says.
News 12 Long Island reached out to PSEG Long Island to see how it is going to deal with customers who don't have receipts or photographs of spoiled food. In response, a utility spokesperson said customers who do not have receipts but provide an itemized list can only get $150 in reimbursement.
To apply for reimbursement, follow this link.