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 help fund the ongoing cleanup and groundwater monitoring obligations that Wisconsin DNR continues to oversee.

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 Wisconsin — and those policies may provide coverage that remains enforceable today. 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.

Underground storage tanks at this property dispensed leaded gasoline and other petroleum products for decades before 1986, releasing contaminants into soil and groundwater during a period when the businesses operating here carried Commercial General Liability insurance. The substantial future costs of continued groundwater monitoring across on-site and off-site wells, further plume delineation along Williamson Street, vapor intrusion assessment, and remediation required under the Wisconsin DNR LUST program to address benzene contamination that has migrated beyond the property boundary are obligations that those pre-1986 carriers may be required to fund.

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.