This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station predating 1986. 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 inactive USTs removed from this property in 1995 were already decommissioned by 1994, placing their installation and years of active service well before 1986 — the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. Petroleum contamination confirmed in groundwater and free product in monitoring wells represent substantial ongoing remediation obligations. Historical carriers who insured the facility's operations during the pre-1986 tank service period may be obligated to fund both past and continuing cleanup costs.

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.