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-gasoline release documented here originated from underground storage tanks at an established branded fuel station — the type of aging UST infrastructure routinely installed and operated well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry norm and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Enrollment in the Petroleum Technical Assistance Program confirms that remediation costs are actively accumulating to address confirmed contamination in both soil and groundwater. Historical carriers who issued CGL coverage during the pre-1986 operational window may bear a share of those cleanup obligations.

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.