This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1975. 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.

Contamination at this site stems from a leaking diesel fuel UST and an active leaking asphalt tank tied to manufacturing operations that began more than a decade before 1986. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to Lakeside Industries during that pre-1986 operational window carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law and remain enforceable today. The remediation costs already incurred — tank removal, soil excavation, on-site treatment — and the substantial costs still ahead for groundwater investigation and long-term monitoring represent expenditures the historical carriers may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.