This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1975. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

Petroleum contamination at this property traces to underground storage tanks installed and operated starting in 1979 — seven years before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The carriers who issued CGL policies during those pre-1986 fueling operations may still bear obligation for the remediation costs already incurred over three decades of cleanup — tank removals, soil excavation, groundwater treatment, long-term monitoring — as well as the ongoing vapor-intrusion mitigation the site now requires.

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.