Claims Help

Our customer service standards

The following customer service standards form part of Ausgrid's Distribution Network Service Provider’s Licence. Ausgrid must pay claims for compensation if it exceeds certain standards in relation to the length of time that it interrupts a customer's supply of electricity and the frequency of such interruptions.

Length of time without electricity supply (Interruption Duration Standard)

If you have experienced a power outage for:

• 12 hours or more metropolitan areas or;
• 18 hours non-metropolitan areas

you may be eligible to make a claim from Ausgrid for $80 (inc GST). 

Frequency of interruptions (Interruption Frequency Standard)

If you have experienced:

• 4 interruptions of more than 4 hours in metropolitan areas or;
• 4 interruptions of more than 5 hours for non-metropolitan areas

you may make a claim for a payment of $80 (incl. GST) per financial year.

Conditions

• Interruption Duration Standard claims must be made within three months of the interruption.
• Interruption Frequency Standard claims must be made within three months of the end of the financial year. 
• Interruption to supply relating to severe weather events or emergency situations may be excluded.
• The total amount payable to a customer in any financial year for claims made in relation to Ausgrid exceeding the Interruption Frequency Standard and the Interruption Duration Standard is $320 (incl. GST).
• Once a claim is received, Ausgrid must respond with an outcome to the claim within one month. Where the determination is not to pay the claim, either in part or in full, the notice of determination must include the reasons for the decision.

For further information please refer to the Customer Service Standards Brochure.

The following distribution service standards are also Guaranteed Services Levels

Streetlights

If Ausgrid exceeds the promised target of 10 business days to repair a reported Individual Fault, Ausgrid pays $25 to the first person who made the Fault Report if that person is:
(i) the owner or occupier of a premise that abuts the part of the street that, but for the Fault, would ordinarily be illuminated by the Public Lighting Asset; or
(ii) a Customer of the Ausgrid for the relevant Public Lighting Asset, i.e. Local Councils or RMS.

The Guaranteed Service Levels do not apply where:
• The complexity of streetlighting network qualifies a fault to be categorised as a Held fault for as defined as Specific Fault by the NSW Public Lighting Code 2018,
• Compliance with those Service Standards is affected by a Force Majeure Event, or the Fault requires replacement of the electricity distribution pole; or
• Where there is no applicable Service Standard for a Public Lighting Service provided by Ausgrid.

Connection Services

• We must perform connection services by the agreed date. If Ausgrid agrees to perform a connection service under its Deemed Standard Connection Contract and does not perform that service by the date agreed with the customer, Ausgrid must pay the customer $60 for each day that elapses from the agreed date until the date Ausgrid performs the service (up to an annual maximum amount of $300).

Lodge a claim online.

Exceptions

• We will not make payments for businesses claims including but not limited to earnings, loss of stock or product in the event of a power outage.
• In the event your home, contents and personal effects are damaged you may be able to claim any loss through your insurer.

 

You are supplied electricity under Ausgrid’s Deemed Standard Connection Contract which is a requirement of the Electricity Supply Act (NSW) 1995.

Our electricity network is designed to deliver electricity to connected customers safely and efficiently. Unfortunately the normal operation of the network may mean that a customer’s electricity supply is interrupted both on a planned basis (where notice is provided) and on an unplanned or emergency basis where no notice is possible.

While you may lodge a claim, the Deemed Standard Connection Contract indicates that subject to the law, Ausgrid is unable to be held liable for a loss due to an interruption to the electricity supply, but that to the extent that we might be liable our liability is limited.

On this basis any payment that you might receive from Ausgrid in response to a claim you make will be entirely voluntary, subject to specific limits (as detailed in the contract) and based on criteria which shall be defined by us from time to time.

What information will I need

When you lodge a claim online you may need to provide the following information:

• the location/address where the incident
• a description of the incident
• details of what you are claiming including receipts/repair reports/and any other independent documentation that you already have to support your claim.

Once your online claim has been successfully submitted you will receive a confirmation email from Ausgrid. 

To obtain an incident report for your insurer, please fill out the online form here.

Alternatively, you can download the Insurance Report request form and email it to claims@ausgrid.com.au.

Under Ausgrid’s Deemed Standard Connection Contract we do not guarantee a continuous supply of electricity.

If you have experienced a power outage for:

• 12 hours or more metropolitan areas or;
• 18 hours non-metropolitan areas

Ausgrid may consider making a customer service payment to assist residential customers where they have suffered food spoilage. These customer service payments are subject to specific value limits which are defined by us. 

In order for us to investigate and consider your claim you will need to register and submit a claim online. This online form will request you to specify key details such as:

• your name, address, telephone number, email address etc.
• the date and time of the incident
• the location/address where the incident occurred
• a description of the incident
• details of what you are claiming including receipts/repair reports/and any other independent documentation that you already have to support your claim.

Once your online claim form has been successfully submitted you will receive a confirmation email from us.

No. Ausgrid accepts that we may have some responsibility for the actions of our employees while they are undertaking their normal duties for us, however, we are unable to and do not accept responsibility for the actions of our contractors or their employees.

Ausgrid requires that our contractors carry their own Public and Professional Liability Insurance to respond to claims made by customers in respect to damage that they or their employees might cause. 

While Ausgrid appreciates that dealing with a contractor may be difficult you are encouraged to contact the contractor you believe is responsible for the damage or loss you have experienced so that they have the opportunity to respond to your claim in the first instance.

Let us know about the incident

If you are not happy with the service provided to you by our contractor or are dissatisfied with their response to your claim and you would like us to review their decision we are happy to provide you with this service.

Let us know about the incident by registering your details, and submitting a claim online. You will be asked to provide the name of the contractor and the contractor's representative that you have dealt with, along with the description of the incident which led to the loss or damage.

While we are unable to accept liability for the actions of the contractor, we will act as an intermediary between you and the contractor where our review of their response to you and our investigations of the circumstances of your claim suggest their response is inappropriate, however; it will remain the contractor's responsibility to settle your claim if it is accepted.