This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1950. 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 hydrocarbon contamination at this property traces directly to underground storage tanks installed and operated during the 1950s and 1960s — decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still lacked effective pollution exclusions. Remediation costs already incurred — UST removal, soil excavation, and three rounds of chemical oxidation injections — represent documented expenditures tied to those pre-1986 operations, and projected costs for capping, covenant compliance, and a decade or more of natural attenuation monitoring extend that liability trail further. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to operators during the gasoline station's operational window may be obligated both to recover past cleanup costs and to fund the work that remains.

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.