This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1959. 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-range hydrocarbon contamination at this property originated from leaded-gasoline USTs installed in 1959 — more than two decades before 1986, the year after which occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies began to carry effective pollution exclusions. The documented remediation record spans over four decades and multiple phases: tank removals, soil excavation, LNAPL recovery, building demolition, and continuing monitoring — all costs attributable to operations that were active when pre-1986 CGL policies were being written and issued. Historical carriers whose policies covered the Texaco service station and subsequent lube facility during that window may be obligated both to recover costs already incurred and to fund the remediation work that remains.

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.