This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1945. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

Vehicle dismantling and recycling operations at this property began in 1945 — more than four decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Petroleum and metal contamination consistent with decades of vehicle processing on this site represents precisely the kind of slow, ongoing release those pre-1986 policies were written to address. The investigation and remediation expenditures the property owner will face as cleanup proceeds could plausibly be funded by historical carriers whose policies were in effect during the long operational window that gave rise to the contamination.

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.