Property and health insurance likely covers claims resulting from the space shuttle disaster earlier this month, but the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is also accepting claims. Few if any have been filed.

Streaking through the atmosphere at 18 times the speed of sound, NASA's ill fated Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated early Feb. 1, 15 minutes before its scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Seven astronauts lost their lives and the accident strewed debris over as many as six states, but debris was recovered primarily from east Texas and west Louisiana.

A day after the accident, NASA offered a procedure for filing claims due to personal injury or property damage, but by Feb. 12 said there were only a few reports of property damage and that no actual claims had been filed. There were no reports of personal injury to anyone on the ground, NASA said.

Insurance experts say even without NASA accepting liability, homeowners and health insurance would cover incidents related to falling debris.

"The standard homeowners and various dwelling forms include damage caused by 'Aircraft, including self-propelled missiles and spacecraft.' There are no exclusions for damage caused by pieces, so I would assume that in most cases any debris that causes property damage would be covered," said Pete Moraga, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute of California.

Dallas attorney David Metzler with Cowles and Thompson, said homeowners' insurance policies would likely also cover damage to contents provided the debris fell through the structure.

Metzler said he heard the shuttle 'explode' and windows in his home rattle and surmised had the shuttle disintegrated five minutes sooner there likely would have been more property damage and perhaps injuries.

"Generally, the homeowner's policy will apply. Unless it's specifically excluded, the house is covered for all risk of losses and the perils covered specifically include damage caused by aircraft and falling objects," Metzler said.

He said insurers may or may not seek to recover their losses from the shuttle program.

"NASA has some liability and insurers could (go after NASA to recover paid claims) if they wanted to but that's a business decision for them," he said.

In addition to offering a procedure for claims resulting from falling debris, NASA officials warned some debris was coated with toxic compounds necessary for space flight and advised people not to handle debris. Those who found debris should contact NASA via email at the Johnson Space Center Emergency Operations Center or call (281) 483-3388.

Hazardous compounds that concerned NASA included two forms of hydrazine, nitrogen tetroxide and a pure form of ammonia, all potentially deadly chemicals.

Hydrazine fueled the shuttle's auxiliary power units and monomethyl hydrazine fueled the shuttle's maneuvering systems while it was in space. Both clear flammable liquids can irritate eyes, skin and respiratory system and cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, convulsions and permanent damage to internal organs.

Nitrogen tetroxide was used in conjunction with monomethyl hydrazine as propellants that ignite spontaneously when mixed. A reddish-brown gas at room temperature with a pungent, sweetish aroma, nitrogen tetroxide can injure eyes, skin and lungs if inhaled.

Pure ammonia is a clear liquid (often found in small quantities in household cleaning compounds) at normal temperatures with a pungent smell. It was used as a coolant for electrical systems on the shuttle's engines. Ammonia irritates eyes and skin and can blister lungs if it is inhaled in high concentrations.

NASA's claim filing procedure would also cover injury from the chemicals, but insurance experts say health care policies would also provide coverage.

"As to toxicity and any health consequences, that would most likely be covered under health insurance plans," said Moraga.

Published: February 14, 2003

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Broderick Perkins parlayed a career in old-school journalism into a contemporary digital news service that really hits home. The award-winning consumer journalist, originally from Wilmington, DE, is founder, publisher and executive editor of the bootstrap DeadlineNews Group, a Silicon Valley-based editorial content and consulting service specializing in residential real estate, consumer news and related editorial consulting services. The DeadlineNews Group includes the website, DeadlineNews.com, offering real estate editorial content and consulting services, and its back shop, the Deadline Newsroom, an open house on news that really hits home. Perkins obtained his formal journalism education from University of Delaware and a journalism boot camp, the Institute of Journalism Education at the University of California-Berkeley. He went on to 20 years of service as a daily newspaper journalist at the Wilmington, DE News Journal and San Jose, CA Mercury News. Perkins covered housing on the San Jose Mercury News reporting team which earned a General News Reporting Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake. He has also produced real estate, consumer and small business content for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, RealtyTimes.com, Nolo.com, Better Homes and Gardens, the National Association of Realtors, Homestore/Move and Intuit/Quicken among more than three dozen publications. In addition to managing the DeadlineNews Group, Perkins most recently served as chief editorial consultant for Nolo's Essential Guide To Buying Your First Home, Nolo, and writes real estate television scripts for RealtyTimes.com.