This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1935. 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 petroleum hydrocarbons, BTEX, and lead found at this site originated from fueling and auto repair operations that began in the 1930s and ran for roughly three decades before 1986, the year occurrence-based CGL policies stopped reliably covering pollution claims. Carriers that issued policies to this Standard/Chevron Station during that pre-1986 operational window had no enforceable pollution exclusion under Washington law. The documented remediation costs here — soil excavation, groundwater investigation, and continuing cleanup — represent expenditures those 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.