This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1985. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

Petroleum contamination at this site traces to underground storage tanks that were in service during the pre-1986 period when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Nearly two decades of documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation, bioremediation, and ongoing site management — were incurred to address releases tied to those historical operations. Because cleanup is not yet complete, the historical carriers who issued CGL policies during that operational window may be obligated both to reimburse past remediation costs and to fund the remaining work.

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.