How to claim for damages to appliances and food caused by the blackout

May 05 , 2025 // Specialty

Published in El Confidencial

If you have suffered losses due to this unexpected power outage, it's important to know your rights as a consumer and how to file a claim for compensation.

The blackout that affected Spain starting at 12:30 PM on Monday, April 28th, may have caused damage in the homes of thousands of Spaniards. Household appliances, electronic devices, and food stored in refrigerators or freezers could have been affected after more than 10 hours of power outage, which exceeded 12 hours in many regions. Other possible claims could relate to traffic accidents, production disruptions, and service interruptions at factories and businesses that have business continuity insurance.

If you have suffered losses due to this unexpected power outage, it's important to know your rights as a consumer and how to file a claim for compensation. Insurance companies, which are holding emergency meetings to monitor the situation and prioritizing the proper functioning of services where it is most needed, are still unable to quantify the potential damage and whether they will subsequently have to file claims against the electricity companies, the grid operator, or the government.

A power outage that can be considered unforeseen must be one that has not been notified at least 24 hours in advance and lasts more than three minutes, as stipulated by the regulations on unscheduled power cuts, as established by the legislation on the Protection of the Quality of the Electricity Supply.

This widespread power outage meets these criteria, and therefore, there is a right to claim for damages to broken appliances or food spoiled due to a break in the cold chain. In the case of spoiled food, six hours must have passed before a claim can be filed. In some autonomous communities, such as the Community of Madrid, if distributors do not restore service within six hours, "the company must apply a discount of up to 10% to your annual bill," explains Kelisto.

When a power outage occurs, the appliances most susceptible to damage are televisions, computers, and refrigerators, as well as air conditioning systems. There are two ways to claim for this type of damage. The first is through home insurance, as many policies cover damage caused by power outages. You should check that your insurance includes this coverage and contact your insurer.

The other option is through the electricity company. If you don't have insurance, or if your policy doesn't cover the damage, you must file a claim with the electricity supplier. These companies are legally obligated to maintain the quality of service and are responsible for damages caused by supply failures, unless it is due to force majeure. Furthermore, if the power outage is proven to be caused by atmospheric events, the Consortium may also compensate those affected. In these cases, home insurance policyholders can file a claim with their insurer, which will then compensate them. Users could also request compensation directly from their electricity distributor, although consumer associations generally advise pursuing the claim against the insurer.