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.

The fueling station that operated on the western portion of this property was active before 1986, the year occurrence-based CGL policies began routinely including effective pollution exclusions. Underground storage tanks installed during those pre-1986 years remain in the ground with no documented removal, representing an unremediated legacy from the coverage period those historical policies were written to address. As investigation and remediation planning proceed, carriers who issued CGL policies to the fueling station operator during its operational window may hold obligations toward the cleanup costs now accruing at 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.