# Who pays if PG&E damages my property? | Who Pays the Repair?

> PG&E says it is generally responsible for losses due to its negligence. The CPUC cannot award property damage; use the PG&E claim process or court.

**Who pays:** depends

In California, PG&E says it is generally responsible for losses due to its negligence; property damage compensation runs through the utility claim process or a civil court claim, not the CPUC.

**Boundary:** PG&E says it is generally responsible for losses that occur due to its negligence, but in many instances is not responsible for property damage that occurs due to forces outside its control. The California Public Utilities Commission says it cannot award damages for property damage and points to the utility company process or a civil court claim.

**Exceptions:** PG&E says that in many instances it is not responsible for power outages, voltage fluctuations, food loss, or property damage caused by forces outside its control.

## Sources
- [Claims](https://www.pge.com/en/account/customer-service/claims.html) — "Generally, we are responsible for losses that occur due to our negligence. However, in many instances, we are NOT responsible for power outages, voltage fluctuations, food loss, or property damage that occur due to forces outside our control" (accessed 2026-10-22)
- [Claims](https://www.pge.com/en/account/customer-service/claims.html) — "Tangible property damage claims have a statute of limitations of three years." (accessed 2026-10-22)
- [Filing a Formal Complaint](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/file-a-complaint/filing-a-formal-complaint) — "The CPUC, by law, cannot award damages for things like personal injury, property damage, emotional distress, or loss of wages or profits. To request compensation for damages, you can utilize the utility company’s process, or file a civil court claim." (accessed 2026-10-22)

_Last verified 2026-10-22. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/california-pge-utility-damage-claim/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._