This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station predating 1986. 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.

Gasoline operations at this site predate 1920 — more than six decades before occurrence-based CGL policies stopped reliably covering pollution claims in 1986. Lead detected in the soil confirms the use of leaded gasoline during those pre-1986 decades, directly linking the contamination to an extended period when CGL policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The property owner now faces investigation and forthcoming remediation costs that historical carriers who issued policies during that long operational window 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.