This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1975. 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.

Gasoline storage and dispensing at this property began in 1984, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The benzene and petroleum contamination found in groundwater traces directly to those underground storage tanks, which were installed and operated during the pre-1986 policy window. The remediation costs incurred to address the release — tank removal, site investigation, and cleanup through the Voluntary Cleanup Program — represent expenditures that historical carriers who covered the 7-Eleven operation may be obligated to recover.

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.