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 site — TPH as gasoline and BTEX compounds, with lead analytes confirming historical leaded gasoline use — originated from fuel storage and dispensing operations that predate 1986. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to the operators during that pre-1986 window carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington and remain enforceable today. The documented remediation expenditures already incurred and the ongoing monitoring and cleanup costs still ahead represent obligations the historical carriers may be required both to reimburse 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.