Gas Stations
We provide a lifeline for current property owners, operators, and developers of former gas stations facing environmental remediation.
Gas Stations and the Need for Insurance Archaeology Services
Since 1905, the evolution of gas stations in America has created a complex web of environmental and legal challenges.
Fueled by the boom in automobile ownership and oil discoveries, the rapid growth of gas stations resulted in an estimated 200,000 stations by 1930. Many of these stations, particularly those constructed between the 1920s and the 1970s, were developed by large oil companies who often leased properties from private owners and managed them in different ways.
“The evolution of gas stations in America since 1905 has led to significant environmental and legal challenges. With rapid growth and changes in ownership, many former gas stations now repurposed as coffee shops or car lots carry a legacy of unresolved environmental liabilities.”
In the 1980s and 1990s, the US government mandated that gas stations upgrade to Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) and associated infrastructure. However, the pollution from the previous 40+ years was never addressed. This has left a legacy of environmental liabilities that continue to persist.
In the years since, many gas stations changed hands or were repurposed due to the costs of upgrades and remediation. Today, many of these sites are coffee shops, flower stands, or used car lots situated on prime corner properties. However, their past as gas stations often lead to unexpected environmental liabilities.
Regardless of how these gas stations sites are presently used, the historical pollution that remains can be remediated with old insurance policies funding the effort.
How We Can Help
As insurance archaeologists, we play a vital role for anyone dealing with the environmental liabilities of properties that were once gas stations. Our services play a key role in protecting current owners and operators from unforeseen liabilities rooted in the past.
Find Your Policy1.
We provide a lifeline for current property owners, operators, and developers of former gas stations facing environmental remediation by recovering cleanup costs through historical insurance policies.
2.
We untangle the web of operation and ownership arrangements over the years to determine liability, insurance responsibility, and potential coverage.
3.
Using our deep understanding we help you to navigate a clear path to insurance funding to deal with your historical contamination.
4.
Our goal is always to avoid litigation, with insurance companies as well as oil companies. We provide crucial strategies and support to obtain cleanup funding without litigation.
5.
We help developers seeking to repurpose old gas station sites to understand historical insurance assets so you can make informed decisions and ensure project viability.
