This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1946. 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 PCB contamination at this property is tied to industrial sawmill and lumber-treating operations that ran continuously from 1946 through at least 1985 — spanning four decades during which occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. A significant PCB contamination incident and early cleanup occurred by 1985/1986, meaning liability accrued squarely within the window those pre-1986 policies were in force. The documented remediation expenditures — soil and debris excavation, tank removal, large-scale sediment placement, and ongoing feasibility work — represent costs that historical carriers who issued CGL coverage during the operational period may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.