This property has a documented history as a gasoline service station going back to 1980. 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 underground storage tanks at this site were installed in 1980 — six years before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The petroleum and solvent contamination now documented in groundwater above state cleanup levels represents the type of gradual release those pre-1986 CGL policies were written to cover. Historical carriers who insured the station during that 1980-to-1986 window may be obligated to fund both the remediation costs already incurred and the cleanup work still ahead.

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.