This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1941. 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.

Contamination at this terminal originated from petroleum bulk storage and distribution operations that began in 1941 — more than four decades before occurrence-based CGL policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The range of contaminants requiring remediation — petroleum hydrocarbons, pentachlorophenol, dioxins, and furans — and the scale of cleanup already performed across two decades of active work represent substantial documented expenditures. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the operator during the pre-1986 window may be obligated to recover those past costs and to fund the remediation that remains 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.