This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station predating 1986. 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 gasoline contamination at this property originated from underground storage tanks that were in service well before 1986 — lead detected in soil and groundwater samples is consistent with leaded gasoline sales typical of that era. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to the station's operators during those pre-1986 years carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law and remain enforceable today. The documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation, and decades of groundwater monitoring — along with further cleanup efforts still planned represent costs that historical carriers 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.