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A COUPLE has been slapped with a home repairs bill costing nearly half a million dollars, despite paying insurance for years.
They were already frustrated when a hidden hazard on their property triggered a major environmental mess – and then they found out about the unexpected costs.
Homeowners Kathleen and John Murray were left with 190 gallons of home heating fuel spilled all over their property when an outdoor oil tank suddenly leaked back in February.
“It had gone under the slab, then into the crawl space into the French drain and it was pumping towards the street which was the environmental emergency,” Kathleen told CBS affiliate WBZ-TV.
The costs kept piling up after cleanup crews were called in to the Murrays’ home in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, just about 45 minutes from Boston.
“It’s been about $90,000 so far, and it’s probably going to be another $300,000,” Kathleen said.
That brings costs to nearly $400,000 – a bill the couple says could destroy their finances.
“I imagine there are very few homeowners that could take a hit of $400,000 and not be severely impacted,” John said.
They thought insurance would cover it, but were devastated to find out they were stuck footing the bill.
“They basically said, we’re not covered. Sorry,” Kathleen recalled.
Their standard policy didn’t include coverage for liquid fuel spills.
LIQUID FUEL RIDER
Now the couple is urging other homeowners to check their coverage and look for three key words in their insurance documents: liquid fuel rider.
That’s the term for a low-cost add-on that protects against oil leaks from heating tanks.
In Massachusetts, insurance companies have been required to offer this type of rider since 2009.
They cover most oil tanks that comply with basic safety and installation standards.
What is a liquid fuel rider?
A liquid fuel rider is an optional add-on to a homeowner’s insurance policy that covers fuel or oil leaks from heating systems.
It typically costs under $100 per year and can protect homeowners from paying out-of-pocket for cleanup and repairs, which can run into the hundreds of thousands.
The rider usually applies to tanks that meet state safety and installation standards.
In Massachusetts, insurers are required to offer this coverage, but they don’t have to tell homeowners it exists.
But there’s a catch – they’re not required to tell you about it.
“What homeowners should know is that if they do have fuel oil leak it could be devastating,” attorney Susan Crane told CBS News.
Crane has spent more than two decades helping families deal with heating oil disasters.
“Most homeowners when they get their 60-page policy don’t read it all,” she said.
“They have no idea that their heating system or tank really is a ticking time bomb.”
Crane said there’s no legal requirement for brokers or insurance companies to tell homeowners about the liquid fuel rider, which usually costs less than $100.
Most homeowners don’t know their tanks aren’t covered unless they read the fine print, and the Murrays say they never did.
“We worked so hard to do everything right, and then you find out that you didn’t know there was more,” Kathleen said.
The couple is now raising money online to repair the damage.
