This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1940. 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 petroleum releases documented here originated from underground storage tanks that fueled a municipal fleet for decades before 1986, the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The City of Bellingham's documented cleanup expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation, long-term groundwater monitoring, and vapor intrusion investigation — are directly traceable to those historical releases. Historical carriers who issued CGL coverage to the City during the 1940s through 1980s operational window may still be obligated to fund the remaining remediation costs.

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.