HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 119        FILED ON: 1/7/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 994

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Danielle W. Gregoire

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to homeowners insurance.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 119        FILED ON: 1/7/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 994

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 534 OF 2017-2018.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act relative to homeowners insurance.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Chapter 175 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end of section 4E the following new section:-

Section 4F. (a) As used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, ''residential property'' shall mean a 1 to 4 unit dwelling used for living or sleeping.

(b) The joint underwriting association, formed pursuant to chapter 175C, and each insurer licensed to write and engage in the writing of homeowners' insurance shall make the following coverage available to residential owners: (1) first-party property coverage for response action costs incurred under chapters 21E, 21J or 21K, or regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, in response to a negligent release of petroleum from an underground storage tank.  Minimum coverage of $10,000 per occurrence for first-party property shall be made available, subject to a reasonable deductible not to exceed $1,000 per claim. For the purposes of this section, first-party property coverage shall include response action costs incurred to assess and remediate petroleum release as the result of a negligent third party impacting soil, indoor air or other environmental media on the insured's property and the reimbursement of any associated personal property damage.