This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1930. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property operated as a gasoline and automotive service station from 1930 to 1967, with underground storage tanks dispensing fuel and servicing vehicles for nearly four decades. Cleanup under the Voluntary Cleanup Program has included excavation of two USTs, removal of approximately 113 tons of petroleum-contaminated soil, and recovery of 1,530 gallons of tank contents. Groundwater monitoring has been ongoing since 2013, with future groundwater remediation still required before the site can reach No Further Action status. 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.
The petroleum contamination at this property — TPH-G, TPH-D, and BTEX attributed to UST releases and spills from the former service station — originated from operations that ran from 1930 through 1967, decades before the 1986 cutoff when occurrence-based CGL policies still lacked effective pollution exclusions. Investigation has confirmed the contamination is historical in nature and tied directly to those pre-1986 operations. The documented remediation costs incurred to date, and the groundwater remediation yet to come, represent expenditures that historical carriers whose policies covered this site during that operational window may be obligated both to recover 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.
