This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1930. 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.

Fuel storage and dispensing operations at this property date to the 1930s — decades before 1986, when occurrence-based CGL policies still lacked an effective pollution exclusion. The contamination documented here originated from those pre-1986 operations, as evidenced by tank removals in the 1960s, a 1989 removal event, and the recovery of Richfield Oil signage from an operator that merged out of existence in 1966. Nine UST removals, thousands of tons of excavated soil, 220,000 gallons of treated groundwater, and continuing cleanup work represent expenditures that historical carriers whose policies covered those operational decades 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.