Make a claim
If you’ve experienced loss or damage, you may be eligible for compensation. Check the information below on how to make a claim with Ausgrid.

Before you claim

Before you make a claim, we recommend you check the terms of your insurance policy (if you have one) or contact your insurer as you might be covered for the loss or damage by your insurance policy. Your insurer might be able to offer you better coverage as many ‘Home and Contents’ insurance policies provide 'new for old’ replacements for unexpected damage to your property or electrical items and may also have loss assessors to assist with your claim.

If your insurer needs further information regarding an outage, you can request an Insurance Report from Ausgrid below.

Before you make a claim, you should be aware that:  

  • Claims submitted to Ausgrid require proof of loss (such as receipts, repair reports, photos)
  • Claims are capped at $5,000 (unless we have acted negligently or in bad faith)
  • Ausgrid prioritises repairs over replacement
  • If an appliance needs to be replaced, Ausgrid will calculate its value based on how old it is
  • You must confirm that you have not claimed money from any other source, including an insurance company

What can I submit a claim for?

If you have experienced loss or damage, you may be eligible for compensation. Ausgrid considers claims across many categories including food spoilage, guaranteed service levels and property/appliance damage claims.

If you have multiple claims for the same incident, you only need to submit one claim. 

Food spoilage

If your power was interrupted due to an issue on the Ausgrid network and you experienced food spoilage as a result, you may be eligible for compensation.

If you are a residential customer and have experienced an unplanned power outage for 12 hours or more, Ausgrid may consider a customer service payment for food spoilage. These payments are voluntary and are capped to value limits defined by us.

Appliance damage

If your electrical appliances or equipment were damaged due to an incident on the Ausgrid network, you may be eligible for compensation. Appliance damage claims are assessed on a case-by-case basis and consider factors such as the cause of the damage, the condition of the network at the time, and whether Ausgrid was responsible.

Our electricity network is designed to deliver electricity to customers safely and efficiently. While we regularly inspect and maintain the network, there will be occasions when the reliability of the electricity supply is impacted by events beyond our control such as adverse weather conditions, vandalism, motor vehicle collisions with power poles and other events.

Property damage

If you experience damage to your home, car or other property due to an incident caused by Ausgrid, you may be eligible for compensation.

Once a claim is submitted, our team assesses the details of the incident, investigates the cause, and determines liability.

Ausgrid engages contractors to carry out work across our network. If your property has been damaged by a contractor engaged by Ausgrid, we’ll first give them the chance to respond to your claim. If you’re not satisfied with how they handle your claim, Ausgrid can investigate and review their response.

Business loss

Business loss refers to a financial loss experienced by a business, such as lost wages, profits, rent and commercial food spoilage. 

Ausgrid regularly inspects and maintains the electricity network to provide a safe and reliable supply of power. However, we cannot guarantee continuous electricity supply. We encourage businesses to take reasonable precautions to protect themselves from loss such as maintaining adequate insurance coverage, considering back up supply alternatives and installing appropriate protection devices. 

Embedded networks

Embedded network customers are not direct customers of Ausgrid. Please contact your embedded network operator if you have experienced loss or damage and would like to make a claim. This is usually the electricity retailer listed on your electricity bill.

Extreme weather events

Please note that around extreme weather events we can't compensate you for:

  • Take out meals
  • Appliance damage
  • Alternate accommodation
  • Generator hire
  • Incidental costs such as candles, torches and batteries

Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) Claims

Ausgrid is committed to providing a safe and reliable electricity supply. If we don’t meet certain minimum service standards, such as restoring power within set timeframes or providing adequate notice of planned outages, you may be entitled to a Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) payment.

You can find more information about GSL claims and eligibility criteria by visiting the GSL claims page

What is not eligible for compensation?

Ausgrid is generally unable to compensate you for loss or damage that occurs because of events or circumstances outside our control such as:

  • Interruption to supply due to normal safety functions in the network, like a fuse or circuit breaker operating to protect the network.
  • Power interruptions for planned work or planned outages
  • Most incidents caused by animals or vegetation
  • Damage caused by you or by a fault within your property
  • Natural disasters such as bushfires and floods
  • Actions of emergency services personnel responding to a hazardous situation
  • Acts of vandalism impacting the network 

How long will it take to resolve my claim?

Ausgrid aims to respond to most claims in writing within 30 days. 

If your claim is particularly complex or we are experiencing a high volume of claims, it may take longer to resolve. If this happens, we will keep you informed about the reason for the delay and provide an estimated timeframe for resolution.

What if I’m unsatisfied with the result of my claim?

You can request a review of your claim if you believe there’s been an error, or have new information that was not available previously which you believe will alter the outcome of the claim.

However, this does not necessarily mean the decision will be changed. You can request a review by sending an email to claims@ausgrid.com.au

If you are still not satisfied, we will recommend you consider contacting the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON) which provides a free, independent complaints resolution service. You can contact EWON by calling 1800 246 545 (free call), visiting their website www.ewon.com.au or in writing to Reply Paid 86550, Sydney NSW 1234.

Ready to start?

Make a claim

Standards and Legislation

Ausgrid is required to maintain certain service levels under the Guaranteed Service Level (GSL) Scheme, the National Energy Retail Rules (NSW), the Electricity Supply Act 1995 (NSW), and associated regulations.