This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1956. 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.

Every underground storage tank at this site — leaded gasoline, diesel, and waste oil — was installed between 1959 and 1982, and holes in those tanks confirm that releases were occurring well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still written without an effective pollution exclusion. The multi-year remediation record here, from tank removals and soil excavation through groundwater recovery and ongoing monitoring, represents documented costs tied directly to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the operators of Pioneer Union Cenex during that window may be obligated both to recover past expenditures and to fund the continued investigation recommended for 2025.

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.