PG&E issues first payments for community recovery
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company announced its Direct Payments for Community Recovery Program has started issuing payments to individuals who lost homes in the 2021 Dixie Fire.
These first payments total nearly $5 million and satisfy the claims of 13 individuals impacted by the Dixie Fire. Importantly, these initial payments come within only weeks of claimants submitting a complete claim with supporting documentation to PG&E through an online portal, located at www.DP4CR.com.
To date, the program has received claim submissions from more than 120 eligible claimants, and additional payments will be issued in the coming days and weeks.
“When we launched this program a little more than a month ago, our goal was to provide a tool to help our hometowns recover and rebuild from Dixie Fire,” said Joe Wilson, Vice President of PG&E’s North Valley and Sierra Region. “These first payments represent a significant step in this process. We’ve provided a way to easily navigate the claims process and get money into the hands of claimants as quickly as possible. While there has been significant participation by eligible individuals, we encourage those who have not yet participated to submit a claim and receive a payment offer.”
“The agreement reached between the district attorneys representing the counties impacted by the Dixie Fire and PG&E was meant to do two things — hold the company accountable and help our communities recover and rebuild. These first payments are proof that this is happening,” said David Hollister, Plumas County District Attorney. “Through the Direct Payments for Community Recovery program, our friends and neighbors have been submitting claims to PG&E and receiving offers and payments in only a matter of weeks. This quick payment will help begin the rebuilding process and allow our communities to recover, together.”
The program, launched in early May, aims to resolve claims within 75 days from the time individuals submit a complete claim. Payments from this program compensate for all losses based on an objective framework that uses information about the impacted property, including square footage, acreage and any available insurance, to calculate an offer. PG&E applies the same framework to all eligible claims.
Participation in the program is voluntary and individuals who receive an offer through the program are free to accept or decline any settlement offer. Those who decline will maintain all of their legal rights and claims against the company.
Supplementary rebuild payments
To further enable the recovery of the communities impacted by the Dixie Fire, and expedite the rebuilding effort in our hometowns, participants in PG&E’s Direct Payments for Community Recovery program who accept the offer and receive payment will be eligible to receive an additional $50,000 if they choose to rebuild their destroyed home. To receive this additional payment, which may be sought up to one year after the initial DPCR payment is made, individuals must provide PG&E with a copy of the issued building permit and proof that at least $30,000 in costs has been incurred toward rebuilding (contractor and architect fees, permit fees, materials costs, etc.).
The DP4CR process is conducted online and can be completed, from start to finish, on your home computer or mobile device. If you experience trouble, PG&E representatives are available to help in-person at the Local Assistance Center. You can make an appointment using the scheduling link at www.DP4CR.com or www.pge.com/claims. Walk-ins are also welcome and an appointment is not required to receive assistance.
Supporting documentation
When accessing the website, users will be asked to provide documentation in support of their claim. Claims are not complete until claimants provide sufficient documentation to verify their claim.
Supporting documentation will help PG&E verify the information stated in the claim forms and make quick offers to claimants. These documents can include a driver’s license, tax records, property deeds, rental or lease agreements and proof of insurance coverage.
Additional program information, and a complete list of supporting documentation, is available at www.DP4CR.com.
Program eligibility
This program is open only to individuals whose homes were destroyed in the 2021 Dixie Fire.
Dixie Fire claims that are not eligible for DP4CR (for example, commercial claims or partially damaged properties) and claims relating to fires other than the Dixie Fire are being addressed through PG&E’s normal claims process (How to file a PG&E claim (pge.com), the civil court process, or through the Fire Victim Trust established after PG&E’s Chapter 11 proceeding. The Fire Victim Trust is an independent entity and is not administered or overseen by PG&E.
Represented claimants
Attorneys representing certain individuals who have been impacted by the Dixie Fire have asked that PG&E not communicate directly with those who have retained legal representation. To honor that request, PG&E will only communicate with these individuals through their attorney. Additionally, PG&E will be unable to provide information, beyond basic technical questions, about the program to these individuals, either over the phone or at the program’s Local Assistance Centers. All other questions from represented individuals should be routed through their attorneys.
An attorney is not needed to submit a claim via the new DP4CR program, but users are free to consult with an attorney, and be represented by an attorney, in filing their claim. PG&E does not advise individuals on whether to engage an attorney, recommend specific attorneys, or provide referrals to attorneys.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.