This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1968. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

Applying the 25-year lifecycle rule to the 1993 removal, this 20,000-gallon diesel UST was installed approximately in 1968 — roughly 18 years before occurrence-based CGL policies began incorporating effective pollution exclusions in Washington. The diesel contamination documented here originated from bulk storage operations conducted entirely within that pre-1986 window. The documented remediation costs — UST removal, 1,700 cubic yards of soil excavation, and multi-year groundwater monitoring — represent expenditures that historical carriers whose policies covered Suburban Propane's operations during that period 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.