This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1929. 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 traces to gas station operations that ceased nearly half a century before 1986 — the last year occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The 3,400 tons of excavated soil, the groundwater removal, and the structural demolition all represent documented remediation expenditures tied directly to that pre-1986 operational source. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the station's 1929–1936 active years may bear obligations both to recover those past costs and to fund continued cleanup 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.