This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station predating 1986. 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.

The petroleum contamination at this property originated from historical underground storage tanks that were installed and operated well before modern UST regulations took effect — placing their use squarely in the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation costs already incurred — multi-phase soil excavation, offsite thermal treatment, and continued oversight — represent expenditures that historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the period of UST operations may be obligated both to reimburse and to fund as cleanup continues.

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.