Record Pace of Eaton Fire Claims for SCE Program Continues Ahead of Nov. 30 Deadline

What happened

October brought the most claims this year to Southern California Edison's Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program for the Eaton Fire. As of Oct. 30, 2026, more than 5,550 claims were submitted, over 3,200 offers totaling about $1.1 billion were extended, and nearly 80% of offers were accepted ahead of the Nov. 30, 2026 deadline.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

The program settles fire claims in line with past wildfire lawsuit values but through a faster process. Rising claims and a high acceptance rate suggest the company is converting legal disputes into predictable cash payments, reducing uncertainty for investors about eventual wildfire liabilities and how much cash it must reserve.

Analyst inference

Edison International, SCE's parent, carries wildfire liability risk tied to the Eaton Fire. A streamlined compensation program with strong acceptance may lower litigation costs and give investors a clearer view of total payouts. The record claim pace means the eventual bill could still grow before the deadline.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. The Nov. 30, 2026 claim submission deadline remains the cutoff, so the final number of claims and total offers could rise well beyond the 5,550 claims and roughly $1.1 billion already reported. Confirmed
2. The program aims to provide compensation in line with settlement values from past wildfire lawsuits, so watch whether future offers stay consistent with that stated benchmark as more claims arrive. Proposed
3. Watch how many of the remaining offers are accepted versus declined. A rising decline rate would signal claimants rejecting settlement values, which could push more disputes into litigation and increase costs for Edison. Analyst inference

Evidence

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