Take control and eliminate uncertainty with DependaBill
DependaBill program eliminates changes in your gas bill and lets you pay the same amount every month. There is no end-of-year adjustment in prices due to usage or natural gas prices. Your DependaBill amount is based on the historical usage of your home or business, and your amount will not change as long as you use the same amount of energy as you have in the past. Just think how easy it will be budgeting for the next 12 months knowing that your gas bill will always be the same, GUARANTEED. If you are enrolled and decide DependaBill is not for you, there are termination fees, including $10 per month for each month remaining in the program year and a $30 administrative charge.
We can’t provide a DependaBill quote to customers that meet any of the following exceptions:
- Customers who do not receive natural gas service from NIPSCO
- Customer accounts with an active DependaBill quote, which hasn't yet expired
- Customer accounts with insufficient usage history
- Customer accounts with no predictable usage pattern
- Customer accounts where natural gas service is shutoff or pending shutoff
- Multiple meter accounts, where one or more meters are ineligible
- Quote is significantly higher (2.5 times) or lower (one-half) than the budget plan
- Customer accounts that have been shut off for non-payment in last twelve months
- Customers with poor credit history
- Customers currently enrolled in Choice, PPS, or DependaBill programs
How to enroll
To enroll, request a personal quote or learn more, call 1-800-448-2026.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sign up for DependaBill?
To request a personal DependaBill quote, or to enroll in DependaBill, call us toll free at 1-800-448-2026.
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What is DependaBill?
DependaBill is the only predetermined, totally guaranteed natural gas bill that completely eliminates the effects of changing weather and fluctuating natural gas prices. You’ll pay the same amount for your natural gas service every month for 12-months. There is no interim adjustment or end-of-year reconciliation unless you are on the program for considerably more or less than one year.
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Why is NIPSCO offering DependaBill?
NIPSCO offers this program as a service option to customers to eliminate fluctuations in monthly gas bills. DependaBill is designed for customers who want or need to know exactly what their natural gas bill will be month after month. This product should only be purchased by customers who are interested in a fixed monthly bill with no year-end true-up and who are willing to pay a fee for that feature.
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How is DependaBill different from the BudgetPlan?
The BudgetPlan is adjusted periodically to reflect your actual usage and increases in natural gas prices. Also, you have to settle up your actual bill amount yearly. DependaBill protects you from natural gas price and weather changes and guarantees you’ll pay the same fixed amount with NO adjustments due to usage or gas prices, as long as you use energy as you have in the past.
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What if I’m currently on the BudgetPlan but would like to enroll in the DependaBill program?
If you choose to remain on the BudgetPlan when you enroll in DependaBill, your existing gas BudgetPlan account will be reviewed to determine the present balance. For your convenience, your gas BudgetPlan shortfall or credit will be averaged over the remaining months of the BudgetPlan year. This amount along with your DependaBill quote plus tax will result in your new monthly BudgetPlan payment. Your enrollment in the DependaBill program does not affect the electric portion of your NIPSCO bill. You will remain on the BudgetPlan for your electric usage as well.
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If I change my mind, can I drop out of the program? Are there termination fees?
If you decide DependaBill is not right for you, call 1-800-448-2026, 8am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday, within 10 days of your enrollment. If you cancel after the 10-day period, early termination fees will apply. These fees include a charge of $10 per month for each month remaining in the program year, a $30 charge to cover administrative costs associated with termination of the contract plus a cash-out amount. The total cost to terminate the DependaBill contract will never exceed 40% of the annual DependaBill amount. For details on how termination fees are calculated, please see the terms and conditions.
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Will I save money if I enroll in DependaBill?
DependaBill offers price and weather certainty and guarantees a fixed monthly bill with no year-end balance. It does not guarantee savings.
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Terms and Conditions
NIPSCO's DependaBill program is a 12-month plan that prevents changes in your gas bill, including changes due to gas price and weather fluctuations. A monthly program fee is included in this service and covers the expenses necessary to lock in a gas price, calculate your amount, and guarantee your bill - with the DependaBill Program.
I. DependaBill Program Description -This is not meant to be a savings program. The Program guarantees a fixed monthly bill but cannot guarantee savings. In a warmer than normal year, or in a year when gas prices are lower than the fixed price calculated in the DependaBill program, you will likely pay considerably more under the DependaBill program than you would pay under the standard tariff. The DependaBill program, which includes a program fee, is locked in and no adjustments will be made during the program year unless the term length is significantly greater than or less than one year. (See "Term" below). The quote amount you have received is for a 12-month period specific to a service address and is not transferable to another customer or service address. Your quote amount does not include electric service or applicable sales tax. Your monthly bill will reflect sales tax as a separate line item. Customers who wish to cancel their enrollment must do so by calling 1-800-448-2026 within 10 days of enrollment in order to avoid termination fees.
II. Usage Requirements - As part of this program, you agree to use energy as you have in the past. Increased gas use due to cold weather is expected and covered under this program. Since all consumers benefit when gas is not wasted, there is an energy conservation safeguard built into this program that assures there is no abuse. If you use 15% more cumulative non-weather related gas, you may be removed from the program and returned to a standard gas tariff. Termination fees outlined in Section IV apply to program removal for excessive non-weather related gas usage. No customer will be removed from the program for increasing non-weather related usage without prior notification by NIPSCO and the opportunity to modify their gas usage. Non-weather use could include such things as increasing your thermostat settings, adding gas appliances or increasing your living space.
III. Term -The DependaBill is a 12-month (i.e., 365-day) agreement. If the number of days that you are served on DependaBill during this term was much more or less than 365, your final bill will be adjusted to reflect the actual time that you received service on the program, based upon the average cost per day of your quote.
IV. Termination / Cancellation Fee - If you decide to end your enrollment in this 12-month program, you must contact us at 1-800-448-2026 within 10 days of enrollment in order to avoid termination fees described below. To avoid termination / cancellation fees, we simply ask that you:
- Continue the program for 12 months at the same service location
- Keep monthly payments up to date
- Use natural gas as you have in the past and as described in Section II
If you do not complete a full 12-month term for one of the reasons listed above, NIPSCO will compare the amount you paid while on DependaBill program to an amount calculated by multiplying the actual gas consumed times the fixed price used to calculate your DependaBill. If the amount you paid while on DependaBill is greater, NIPSCO will refund the difference. If the amount you paid is less, you will owe the difference. Early termination will require you to pay $30 to cover administrative costs associated with early separation. In addition, customers with an average historical weather-normalized yearly gas consumption of less than 5,000 therms will be charged $10 per month for each month remaining in the program year to cover costs associated with the pre-purchase of gas contracts for the 12-month term. Customers with an average historical weather-normalized yearly gas consumption greater than 5,000 therms per year will be subject to the greater of a $10/month cancellation fee or a fee calculated using the following formula: The average historical gas use for the remaining month(s) in the contract term times the difference of the NYMEX gas price at contract termination versus the NYMEX gas price used to calculate the DependaBill program amount quote for all months remaining in the contract term. An average residential customer uses approximately 1,000 therms per year. The total cost to terminate your DependaBill program contract will never exceed 40 percent of your annual program amount. For example, a customer with a $600 annual DependaBill program ($50 monthly) will never pay more than $240 to exit the program.
V. Renewal - At the end of each 12-month DependaBill program year, your new DependaBill amount will be calculated based on your most recent 12-months usage patterns and the current gas prices. Your new DependaBill quote amount will be mailed to you at least 30 days prior to the start of a new 12-month period. Your enrollment will be renewed automatically, only if the monthly price to be paid under the DependaBill program is equal to, or lower than, the price paid in the previous year.
VI. Dispute Resolution - If a dispute arises concerning the DependaBill program customers should contact NIPSCO Customer Service at 1-800-448-2026. If a resolution is not achieved, the customer may contact the Consumer Affairs Division of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission at National City Center, 101 W. Washington Street, Suite 1500E, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 or at 1-800-851-4268. Decisions rendered by Consumer Affairs shall be considered binding by all parties.