This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance 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 PCE contamination at this municipal maintenance yard originated from fueling and maintenance operations that the site documents characterize as historic — predating the post-1986 shift to claims-made and pollution-exclusion policies. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to the City during that pre-1986 operational window carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law and remain a plausible avenue for cost recovery. The documented remediation work — soil excavation, chemical oxidation, in-situ groundwater treatment, and years of ongoing monitoring — represents exactly the category of cleanup expenditure those historical policies were written to cover.

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.