This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1950. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
This Tacoma residential property was built in 1950 and became contaminated through the burial of containers of paints and solvents by a former occupant. Sampling confirmed a broad range of contamination, including volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and petroleum hydrocarbons spanning the gasoline, diesel, and oil ranges. Some remediation work was attempted in 2019, though the site remains enrolled in Washington Ecology's Standard Cleanup program and has not yet advanced to active cleanup. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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 contamination here — paints, solvents, and petroleum products buried at a property built and occupied since 1950 — is tied to historical use of the property that predates 1986 by decades. Occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies issued before 1986 carried no effective pollution exclusion and remain potentially enforceable against historical carriers. With the investigation phase complete but active remediation still ahead, those pre-1986 policies may represent a meaningful source of funding for the cleanup costs this property now faces.
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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
