This property has a documented history as a farm and agricultural operation 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 presence of leaded gasoline in the contamination profile confirms that the underground storage tanks at this property were installed and in use well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation expenditures — soil excavation, tank removal, and groundwater response across more than a decade — are the type of cleanup costs that historical CGL carriers may be obligated to reimburse. With the site's overall cleanup status still open, additional costs may yet accrue against those same pre-1986 policy periods.

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.