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 recover the cleanup costs already paid.

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 and lead contamination at this property originated from underground storage tanks installed as early as 1961 — twenty-five years before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies began excluding pollution claims. The documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, long-term groundwater monitoring, and the extended quarterly sampling program needed to demonstrate compliance with cleanup levels — were incurred to address releases tied directly to those pre-1986 fuel operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the 1961–1977 operational window may still be obligated to recover those costs.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful cost recovery claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage for costs already incurred. Restorical's forensic accounting team works to re-establish and document past cleanup expenditures, ensuring the strongest possible basis for recovery.