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.

Petroleum contamination at this site traces to underground storage tanks — including leaded-gasoline tanks — installed and operated as early as 1964, more than two decades before occurrence-based CGL policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The documented remediation costs already incurred — UST removals, large-scale soil excavation, groundwater recovery, and years of catch basin maintenance — along with the additional investigation and cleanup still required, represent expenditures that historical carriers may be obligated both to reimburse and to fund going forward. Policies issued to the facility's operators during that pre-1986 window remain a plausible source of coverage for these ongoing environmental liabilities.

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.