This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1926. 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.

Gasoline dispensing and auto repair operations at this property began in 1926 — six decades before occurrence-based CGL policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The petroleum contamination in soil, groundwater, and soil vapor traces directly to those pre-1986 fueling operations and their underground storage infrastructure. Documented remediation expenditures spanning soil removal, dual-phase extraction, and continuous monitoring represent costs that historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the station's operating years may be obligated both to reimburse and to fund through completion of the ongoing cleanup.

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.