This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1947. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations 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 originated from underground storage tanks installed in 1978 and operated as part of a service station that ran for over four decades — ending well before the 1986 shift away from occurrence-based Commercial General Liability coverage. The documented remediation costs here — UST removals, soil excavation, and multi-year cleanup program participation — stem from releases tied directly to those pre-1986 fueling operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the station's 1947–1988 operating window may still be obligated to recover those cleanup expenditures and to fund any remaining remediation work.

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.