This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1937. 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 cadmium and petroleum contamination here originates from plating and industrial operations conducted decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Washington Rustproofing Co.'s electroplating activities date to at least the late 1930s, placing the contamination source firmly within the era those pre-1986 policies were designed to cover. The documented remediation obligations at this site — soil excavation, groundwater treatment, vapor controls, institutional controls, and well decommissioning — represent substantial costs that historical carriers whose policies covered operations in the 1930s through 1986 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.