This property has a documented history as a facility using PFAS-containing firefighting foam going back to 1970. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
Naval Station Everett has been in Navy operation since 1942–1943, and the use of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) in firefighting, fire suppression systems, and training activities became routine at the installation in the early 1970s. A Preliminary Assessment evaluated 23 areas at NAVSTA Everett for historical PFAS sources, identifying AFFF as the highest-potential pathway for mass release of PFAS to the environment. Cleanup work completed to date includes excavation of petroleum hydrocarbon-impacted soil and placement of a clean fill cap; ongoing requirements mandate removal and disposal of legacy AFFF stocks and investigation of drinking water exposure pathways. The site is currently engaged in multiple multi-year environmental action programs under the Standard Cleanup program. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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.
AFFF use at Naval Station Everett began in the early 1970s — more than a decade before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The PFAS contamination documented across 23 site areas reflects cumulative releases from decades of routine firefighting and suppression operations that fall squarely within the coverage window of those historical policies. The remediation obligations now identified — legacy AFFF removal, drinking water investigation, and multi-phase assessments across a sprawling military installation — represent the forward-looking cleanup costs that pre-1986 carriers 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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
