Lead-Based Paint Hazards: Abatement Standards Are Needed to Ensure
Availability of Insurance (Letter Report, 07/15/94, GAO/RCED-94-231).

Millions of property owners face significant financial risks because
liability insurance for lead hazards is becoming increasingly difficult
to obtain. A number of owners and their insurers have already made
payments--some amounting to millions of dollars--to the families of
lead-poisoned children. To avoid the growing number of claims, property
owners can attempt to remove lead hazards--which can be costly--but no
nationally accepted methods or standards for such abatement exist.
Consequently, owners cannot be sure their abatement efforts will reduce
their liability and insurance companies are reluctant to insure against
unpredictable claims for damages resulting from lead hazards. Thus,
until the Environmental Protection Agency establishes reasonable
standards for the inspection and abatement of lead hazards in
privately-owned property, little progress will be made toward providing
insurance for property owners or abatement contractors.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  RCED-94-231
     TITLE:  Lead-Based Paint Hazards: Abatement Standards Are Needed to 
             Ensure Availability of Insurance
      DATE:  07/15/94
   SUBJECT:  Environmental legislation
             Toxic substances
             Safety regulation
             Children
             Low income housing
             Health hazards
             Environmental monitoring
             Liability insurance
             Pollution control
             Standards evaluation
IDENTIFIER:  Massachusetts
             Maryland
             Boston (MA)
             New York
             New York (NY)
             District of Columbia
             Massachusetts Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
             New Orleans (LA)
             Chicago (IL)
             
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