This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal predating 1986. 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 contamination at this facility stems from long-term historical fueling operations that predate 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The pattern of contamination — petroleum hydrocarbons tied to underground storage tanks and fueling infrastructure used over decades — is consistent with the slow, cumulative releases those policies were written to cover. With cleanup still underway and groundwater monitoring ongoing since 1995, historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the facility's pre-1986 operational window may be obligated both to recover past remediation costs and to fund continuing cleanup.

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.