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 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.

The underground storage tanks at this former gas station were removed beginning in 1989 — consistent with installations predating 1986, when occurrence-based CGL policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Benzene and petroleum contamination documented in groundwater beneath the property traces to releases from those pre-1986 tank operations. Historical carriers who covered this gas station during its years of active fueling may bear obligations for the investigation and remediation costs incurred to reach the site's No Further Action status.

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.