This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1968. 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.

Petroleum operations at this property ran from approximately 1968 through 1984 — a window entirely predating 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion. The contamination attributable to those UST operations and vehicle service activities is precisely the type of slow, ongoing release that pre-1986 CGL policies were written to cover. Historical carriers who issued coverage to Gulf Oil Corporation or subsequent operators during that period may be obligated to fund the investigation completion, cleanup design, and active remediation costs that remain ahead for this site.

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.