This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1966. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.

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 and lead contamination at this site originated from fueling operations and underground storage tanks that were installed and operated for roughly two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. More than two decades of documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation, vapor extraction, groundwater treatment, and long-term dual-phase extraction — were incurred to address releases tied directly to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the station's 1966-to-1986 operational window may be obligated to recover those costs and to fund any remaining cleanup obligations.

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.