This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1970. 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 USTs at this site were installed, operated, and confirmed to have leaked between 1970 and 1985 — entirely within the window when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented release includes lead alongside gasoline, a combination characteristic of fuel formulations from that era that further anchors the contamination to those pre-1986 operations. The remediation costs incurred and still forthcoming — soil excavation, free product recovery, groundwater treatment, and long-term monitoring — represent expenditures that historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the hotel and its parking facility during those years may be obligated to fund.

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.