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 release at this property originated from underground storage tanks that were installed and operating well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. With cleanup started but the site still undergoing characterization and facing further remediation, the property owner confronts both past investigation costs and future cleanup expenditures tied directly to those pre-1986 tank operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the period those tanks were in service may be obligated to recover costs already incurred and to fund the remediation work still ahead.

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.