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.

Petroleum contamination at this station originated from single-wall steel USTs that were installed and operating years before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies covered pollution claims without an effective exclusion. The 1988 release report and the finding that soil was contaminated before any subsequent leak confirm that the contamination predates the modern policy era. Documented remediation costs — tank removal, site assessment, ongoing Voluntary Cleanup Program work — represent expenditures that historical carriers who insured the station during its pre-1986 operations may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.