Hazardous Materials on the farm is an important issue today. The world is becoming more and more sensitive to anything that can potentially cause environmental harm.
Insurance policies may or may not pay for the clean up costs of spilt fuel. It all depends on the situation. If there is damage to property that is insured on the policy, the insurance company may repair the damaged property and also the soil around it to prevent further damage to the building. Another example where they may clean up the spill would be to prevent a lawsuit from another party. If however there is no property damage and no risk of lawsuit you may very well find yourself without the assistance of your insurance company and therefore you will be dealing with all the clean up costs on your own. I will not even begin with examples of the horrendous costs to clean up in these situations.
This brings me to my main point… Loss Prevention: There are a number ways to protect yourself. First, keep locks on all tanks and turn electricity off to electric pumps. This will help prevent vandalism and accidental spills. Make sure the tanks are inspected periodically to prevent leakage due to rusting, and check all connections. Keep the yard around your tanks well lit to discourage just anyone from “borrowing” your fuel or causing damage to the tanks and hoses. If the tank is under an eave put a roof/shelter over it. Large icicles are known to break off the small copper fuel line leading to the furnace indoors. Don’t keep fuel on a vacant yard (easier said than done, I know).
There is no guarantee that these will prevent a spill but these above points are sure to reduce the potential. The cost of the fuel is a lot to spill but it may very well be insignificant compared to the costs to clean it up.
Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business!