This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1935. 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.

The petroleum contamination at this property originated from gas station and automotive operations conducted more than five decades before 1986 — the year occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies ceased to reliably cover pollution claims in Washington. Carriers who issued CGL policies to the operators of this pump island and repair shop during that pre-1986 window wrote those policies before effective pollution exclusions existed. The documented remediation expenditures here — UST removal, excavation of nearly 14,000 tons of impacted soil, vapor barrier installation, and continuing groundwater monitoring — represent costs that historical carriers may still be obligated to fund.

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.