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 petroleum release at this station originated from underground storage tank infrastructure that was already in place and aging by the time the leak was discovered in 1993 — consistent with installation well before 1986, when occurrence-based CGL policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. BTEX contamination and free product in groundwater required investigation and remediation spanning nearly two decades before the No Further Action letter was issued. Historical carriers who provided CGL coverage during the period these tanks were installed and operating may still bear obligations for the documented cleanup expenditures.

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.