This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1973. 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.

Petroleum contamination at this site originated from underground storage tanks installed in 1973 and 1982 — well within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. The documented remediation expenditures across multiple phases — tank removals, large-scale soil excavation, and ongoing regulatory oversight spanning decades — represent costs that historical carriers who insured the school district's operations during that pre-1986 window may be obligated to recover. With cleanup still in progress and groundwater monitoring yet to come, those same policies may also be called upon 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.