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 fund a cleanup.

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 lead contamination and discharge history at this property trace directly to auto repair, radiator service, and body work operations that were underway for more than a decade before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Contamination arising from repeated discharge and tank overflow — the slow accumulation characteristic of pre-1986 shop operations — is precisely the type of release those policies were written to address. The investigation and remediation costs the property owner now faces could plausibly be funded by historical carriers whose policies were in force during those pre-1986 operating years.

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.