This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1924. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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.

Fueling operations at this property began in 1924, more than six decades before 1986, meaning the contamination here originated during an era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Chevron, BP, and Texaco each operated on this property during that pre-1986 window and may have been issued such policies by carriers who remain on the hook today. The anticipated remediation — UST decommissioning, soil cleanup, and long-term groundwater treatment over a projected 15-year horizon — represents substantial forward expenditure that historical carriers whose policies were in force during those operations 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.