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.

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 presence of lead among the contaminants of concern at this site points to the use of leaded gasoline, placing fuel dispensing operations firmly in the pre-1986 era — consistent with the UST infrastructure removed in 1990, which by standard tank lifecycles dates to approximately 1965. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to the operators during that window carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation expenditures — tank removal, soil excavation, treatment, and disposal — represent costs the historical carriers may be obligated both to recover and to fund as cleanup continues.

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.