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 is directly attributed to the former UST excavation area, linking it to gasoline station operations that predate 1986 — when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies remained in widespread use and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The multi-tank removal activity conducted prior to 1989 and the presence of an additional unexcavated UST reflect the scope of a contamination event rooted in decades-old fuel storage infrastructure. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the years the station was in operation may bear both recovery obligations for remediation costs already incurred and funding obligations for the cleanup work that continues today.

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.