This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property operated as a vehicle fueling facility and automotive service station with multiple petroleum underground storage tanks and a walk-in mechanic pit. In 1999, two 300-gallon USTs were removed along with 140 cubic yards of petroleum-contaminated soil; groundwater sampling followed in 2000. A third 300-gallon UST — suspected to have contained waste oil — was discovered and removed during storm sewer construction in 2010, along with approximately 1,030 cubic yards of contaminated soil. Assessment work continues under the Voluntary Cleanup Program, with investigation-derived waste collected as recently as 2024. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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 contamination at this site is a historic release from underground storage tanks that were in service well before 1986 — lead detected in soil samples points to leaded gasoline use, confirming the pre-1986 operational timeline. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to the facility's operators during that era carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington State. The remediation costs already incurred — multiple UST removals, excavation of over 1,100 cubic yards of contaminated soil, groundwater assessment, and ongoing investigation — along with future cleanup obligations represent expenditures that historical carriers 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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
