The legal agreement (treaty) between the Washington State Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (PLIA) and the private insurance companies that provided an insurance policy for the Commercial UST Reinsurance Program has now ended. PLIA now offers a new financial responsibility option through coverage in the agency’s Financial Assurance (FA) Program. You can learn more about the FA Program and how to apply on our FA Program page.
The Commercial Underground Storage Tank Reinsurance program was created by the Washington State Legislature in 1989 and began operations in September of that year.
The Legislature found that many owners and operators of underground storage tanks (USTs) could not purchase pollution liability insurance because:
- private insurance was unavailable at any cost, or
- owners and operators could not meet the rigid underwriting standards of existing insurers.
PLIA was established to provide affordable pollution liability insurance that helps owners and operators comply with the financial responsibility regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Washington State Department of Ecology.
In 2023, the Washington State Legislature directed PLIA to transition the Commercial Underground Storage Tank Reinsurance Program to a state-led Financial Assurance Program (FA Program). The new state-led FA Program allows PLIA to provide more complete coverage and make claim and coverage decisions.