This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1948. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

Why Historical Insurance Policies May Be Accessible

Pre-1986 Commercial General Liability (CGL) policies were occurrence-based and did not contain an effective pollution exclusion in Washington. If contamination occurred while those policies were active, those historical insurance carriers may still have a legal obligation to fund the cleanup costs, even if the business closed or the property changed hands.

The petroleum contamination here, including lead from pre-1986 leaded gasoline formulations, originated from a fueling station and abandoned underground storage tank that operated entirely before 1986 — when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The contamination profile directly ties to that pre-regulatory window, making historical CGL policies issued during the station's 1948–1962 operational years plausibly enforceable today. The cleanup costs the current property owner now faces — investigation, UST remediation, and soil and groundwater treatment — represent expenditures that historical carriers may be obligated to fund.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful coverage claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage. Restorical then manages the claim, including accounting, to ensure the cleanup is funded in a timely manner.