Insurer claims $1M policy won't cover Pa. Turnpike goo

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The insurer of a trucking company whose tanker leaked sticky black goo onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike in November says in court filings that its $1 million policy likely won’t be enough to cover roughly 1,000 claims for damaged vehicles.

That’s why Travelers Indemnity Co. wants to deposit $1 million into a bank account overseen by a federal judge in Pittsburgh to satisfy its policy covering Marino Transportation Services, also known as MTS Transport.

The Stevensville, Md., company owned the tanker truck that leaked the asphalt flux material over about 40 miles of the eastbound toll road in western Pennsylvania on Nov. 22. The goo damaged tires and, in some cases, the engines and other parts of cars that drove through it.

MTS Transport is suing another insurer, seeking $4 million more to cover the damage, which the other insurance company is contesting.

Travelers has agreed to pay for a court-appointed master to oversee the $1 million pool, and determine which claims are paid and in what order.

Travelers contends claims filed by the owners of two vehicles who both seek more than $1,000 worth of damage show its likely the $1 million won’t be sufficient to cover all of the expected claims.