This property has a documented history as a facility using PFAS-containing firefighting foam predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations 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 petroleum releases at this airport originated from underground storage tanks that were installed and in operation before 1986 — when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The documented remediation expenditures tied to those historical leaks — tank removals, soil excavation, and contaminated soil management spanning a decade — fall squarely within the liability window created by pre-1986 CGL policies. Historical carriers who issued occurrence-based coverage to the airport or its operators during that period may still bear obligations to fund the site's continuing cleanup costs.

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.