This property has a documented history as a farm and agricultural operation going back to 1924. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

The organochlorine pesticide contamination at this site originated from research and agricultural operations conducted decades before 1986 — the period when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Dieldrin, DDT, and heptachlor were applied to cranberry fields here from the 1950s into the early 1970s, placing the contamination timeline squarely within the coverage window of those pre-1986 policies. The documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, groundwater assessment, monitoring well installation, and ongoing evaluation of further remedial alternatives — represent costs that historical CGL carriers 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.