This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1965. 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.

Scrap metal recycling operations began at this property in 1965 — more than two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The PCB contamination and heavy metal loading that drove this site's multi-decade remediation program are the direct byproduct of those pre-1986 industrial operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to General Metals during that operational window may be obligated to contribute to — or recover — the documented costs of soil excavation, stormwater treatment infrastructure, groundwater containment, surface capping, and ongoing long-term monitoring.

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.