This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1978. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

The contamination here traces directly to underground storage tanks installed in 1978 and to leaded-gasoline operations that predate 1986 by nearly a decade — the precise operational window when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation at this site spans nearly four decades: groundwater treatment, vapor extraction, soil excavation, multiple in-situ biological treatments, and continuous monitoring all represent costs tied to that pre-1986 release. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the station's operating years may be obligated to contribute to the expenditures already incurred and to fund the monitoring work that continues to accrue.

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.