This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1950. 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.

The three underground storage tanks at this Vancouver property were in the ground for decades before their 1994 removal, and the service station they supported was operating at least thirty years before 1986. Any commercial general liability carrier that insured this gas station through the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s issued a policy under conditions that predated the industry's shift toward broad pollution exclusions. With only tank removal completed and no remediation of the underlying petroleum releases yet performed, the property owner faces substantial upcoming investigation and cleanup costs — expenditures that trace directly to those decades of pre-1986 fueling operations.

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.