Oil tank leak costs Massachusetts couple $400,000 to fix. Here's how you can avoid it.
A couple in North Attleboro, Massachusetts has a warning for home owners after their oil tank leaked in their yard and left them with a massive clean up bill. They say a simple move could have prevented all of it.
Back in February, the 20-year-old tank outside Kathleen and John Murray's home leaked 190 gallons of oil.
Home heating oil leak
"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," said Kathleen.
The cleanup and repairs will cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"It's been about $90,000 so far, and it's probably going to be another $300,000," Kathleen said.
"I imagine there are very few homeowners that could take a hit of $400,000 and not be severely impacted," John Murray said.
For them it's financially crippling, impacting their retirement and college tuition for their children. When the Murrays reached out to their insurance agency, they discovered their policy did not cover liquid fuel spills.
"They basically said, we're not covered. Sorry," said Kathleen. "It's just heavy. It's a lot."
"A ticking time bomb"
For the past 25 years, lawyer Susan Crane has been fighting on behalf of families struggling with home oil spills.
"What homeowners should know is that if they do have fuel oil leak it could be devastating. Most homeowners when they get their 60-page policy don't read it all. They have no idea that their heating system or tank really is a ticking time bomb," she said.
Liquid fuel riders
A state law passed in 2009 now requires insurers selling policies to Massachusetts homeowners to include an option to purchase what is known as "liquid fuel riders." They provide coverage for most tanks that meet the standard requirements.
"The problem is that there's no requirement in that legislation that either brokers or insurance companies tell homeowners that they have this option, and it's usually less than $100," Crane said.
The Murrays had no idea the rider policy existed.
"We worked so hard to do everything right, and then you find you out that you didn't know there was more," Kathleen said.
Now they're on a mission and raising money online to not only fix their home, but to warn other residents to get their tanks checked and make sure to speak with their insurance agency about purchasing the additional rider policy that covers fuel spills.
They don't want anyone to experience what they're going through.
"It was more than a complete disaster than we could ever grasp," Kathleen said.
