This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1955. 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 site originated from service-station operations that began in 1955 — more than three decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with pollution exclusions. The documented remediation costs already incurred — tank removals, large-scale soil excavation, groundwater recovery — along with the ongoing monitoring program and additional excavation still ahead, represent expenditures directly tied to releases during that pre-1986 operational window. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Conoco or Palouse Producers during those years may still be obligated to fund both past and continuing cleanup costs.

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.