This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1962. 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 contamination at this site originated from overfills and piping failures tied to tanks installed in 1962 and 1973 — hardware that operated throughout the entire pre-1986 window when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and lacked effective pollution exclusions. Those decades of pre-1986 operations are the documented source of the petroleum releases now driving remediation costs. The planned excavation of more than 300 cubic yards of contaminated soil represents expenditures that historical carriers whose policies were in force during those operational years may be obligated both to recover for work already done and to fund as the cleanup moves 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.