This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1978. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property has operated as a Chevron service station since 1978, when its four underground storage tanks — three gasoline and one diesel — and fuel dispensing equipment were installed. A gasoline release originating circa 1985–1989 triggered cleanup activities under the Voluntary Cleanup Program that have spanned more than two decades, including soil excavation of at least 49 tons, air sparging and soil vapor extraction systems that treated approximately 158 pounds of contaminants, in-situ chemical oxidation injections, and quarterly groundwater monitoring ongoing since at least 1993. The station remains in active commercial operation with a convenience store and self-serve car wash. 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.
Petroleum contamination at this site originated from underground storage tanks and fuel dispensing equipment installed in 1978, with a documented release beginning circa 1985 — squarely within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. More than twenty years of remediation expenditures — excavation, vapor extraction, chemical oxidation, and long-term monitoring — have been incurred to address releases tied directly to those pre-1986 operations, and cleanup work remains ongoing. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during that operational window may be obligated both to recover past cleanup costs and to fund the remediation still ahead.
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
Ready to learn more?
Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
