This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could recover the cleanup costs already paid.

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 leaking underground storage tank at this property points to infrastructure installed and operating well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Twelve years of documented remediation — achieving full Method A compliance for soil and groundwater — represent substantial cleanup expenditures tied to a slow, operational-era release rather than a single acute event. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the period when the UST was in active service may still be obligated to cover those remediation costs.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful cost recovery claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage for costs already incurred. Restorical's forensic accounting team works to re-establish and document past cleanup expenditures, ensuring the strongest possible basis for recovery.