This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility predating 1986. 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 crude booster pumps, pipeways, and transfer infrastructure at this refinery represent a long-standing industrial operation that predated 1986 — when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard without an effective pollution exclusion. The 1991 spill and the documented multi-year remediation effort that followed establish a cost trail directly traceable to pre-1986 operations and assets. Because cleanup under the Standard Cleanup program is still underway, historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the facility's pre-1986 operating years may be obligated both to recover the documented past remediation expenditures and to fund the continuing cleanup work that lies ahead.

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.