This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1900. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property at 738 West Marine Drive in Port Angeles operated as Unocal Bulk Plant #0601, a petroleum bulk storage facility with aboveground and underground storage tanks, truck loading and unloading racks, and an extensive network of underground product lines. Operations began around 1900 and continued for approximately 80 years. A 1984 inspection identified leaks of diesel and regular gasoline from underground product lines, and cleanup efforts have since included multiple soil excavations, groundwater pumping and treatment, and long-term monitoring. Additional soil removal and groundwater treatment are planned, with costs borne by the liable party. 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.
Petroleum releases from underground product lines at this bulk plant originated during an operational window that stretches back to roughly 1900 — decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard. Operators who held CGL coverage across that nearly 80-year span may bear obligations for the remediation costs already incurred and the additional excavation and groundwater treatment still ahead. For a site where cleanup has been underway for years and future phases remain funded by the liable party, historical policy recovery represents a direct path to offset both past and continuing expenditures.
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.
