This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1984. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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 underground storage tanks at this property were installed in 1984 and operated during the pre-1986 window when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The TPH-GRO contamination uncovered at the time of removal is directly attributed to leaks from those historical tank operations — not a recent, isolated incident. Investigation and remediation costs the property owner now faces could plausibly be funded by historical carriers whose CGL policies were in force during the years those tanks were in service.

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.