This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1964. 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 diesel and gasoline contamination at this site originated from storage tanks installed before 1965 — more than two decades before the 1986 benchmark when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies ceased to reliably cover pollution claims. The presence of lead in soil samples associated with gasoline contamination further confirms fueling operations predating the phase-out of leaded gasoline, reinforcing the pre-1986 origin of the release. The multi-year remediation record — tank removals, soil excavation, off-site bioremediation, and long-term monitoring now spanning over three decades — represents cleanup costs that historical CGL carriers whose policies covered Lewis County's operations during that pre-1986 window may be obligated 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.