This property has a documented history as a farm and agricultural operation going back to 1948. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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.

Petroleum contamination at this property traces to underground storage tanks installed in the late 1940s and operated for roughly four decades before their removal — placing the origin of the release squarely within the era of occurrence-based Commercial General Liability coverage. The documented corrosion and tank failures point to a gradual, ongoing release rather than a single event, exactly the kind of long-tail environmental liability those pre-1986 policies were written to cover. As the property now faces cleanup costs that have yet to be incurred — investigation, remedial design, and remediation — historical carriers whose policies were in force during those decades of tank operation may be obligated to fund the work 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.