This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1965. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property operated as a convenience store with gasoline dispensing from underground storage tanks estimated to have been installed in the mid-1960s. Gasoline contamination was first confirmed in a nearby domestic well in January 1987, and six severely corroded USTs were removed in late 1989 and early 1990 along with up to 3,000 tons of contaminated soil. A carbon filter was installed to treat affected groundwater, and additional remediation — including further soil excavation, pump-and-treat groundwater systems, and a long-term monitoring program estimated at $75,700 to $175,500 — remains proposed. The property continues to operate as a convenience store. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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.
Gasoline, diesel, and BTEX contamination at this site originated from underground storage tanks that were in the ground for decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented cleanup expenditures — UST removal, thousands of tons of soil excavation, groundwater filtration — along with the substantial proposed costs for pump-and-treat systems and long-term monitoring represent obligations that historical carriers who insured the fueling operations during that pre-1986 window 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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
