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 removed from this property in 2000 were, by standard industry lifecycle estimates, very likely installed before the mid-1970s — well within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The petroleum and lead contamination documented in groundwater and soil gas traces directly to those decades of fueling operations. Investigation and remediation costs incurred to reach the site's No Further Action determination represent expenditures that historical CGL carriers who covered the property during its pre-1986 operational window may be obligated to reimburse.

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.