This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1961. 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 petroleum and lead contamination here is directly attributable to a Shell Oil service station that operated through the 1960s into the early 1970s — well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry norm and had no effective pollution exclusion. The co-occurrence of lead with gasoline-range TPH is a signature of leaded fuel dispensing, anchoring the contamination origin firmly in the pre-1986 operational window. Historical CGL carriers who issued policies during that era may be obligated to fund the excavation, material disposal, and any further remediation the property now requires.

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.