This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1985. 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.

Petroleum contamination at this site traces to underground storage tanks installed and operated before 1986 — evidenced by lead in groundwater consistent with leaded-gasoline use and single-wall tank construction predating modern double-wall standards. Occurrence-based CGL policies in effect during that pre-1986 operational window carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law. Three decades of documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation, vapor extraction, and ongoing groundwater monitoring — along with the planned in-situ treatment still ahead, represent costs that historical carriers who wrote those policies may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.