This property has a documented history as a automobile dealership predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
This Tacoma property operated as Russ Dunmire Oldsmobile Inc., a car dealership with service bays equipped with hydraulic hoists, a pump island, and underground storage tank areas. Site investigation identified soil contamination associated with the in-ground hydraulic hoist and former UST areas; cleanup efforts to date have included soil excavation from two discrete areas (B6 and B2), removal of the hydraulic hoist, and removal of a soil-containing drum. The initial excavations were expanded, but remediation was ultimately deemed insufficient, and the site remains in Awaiting Cleanup status under Ecology's Standard Cleanup program. 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 documented here — gasoline and lead in soil tied to a former pump island and abandoned underground storage tanks — bears the hallmark of leaded gasoline use, which was phased out of retail sale before 1986. A dealership with fueling infrastructure and hydraulic service hoists of this type was operating during the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion, meaning historical carriers who issued coverage during that window may still be obligated to fund the remediation that lies ahead. The co-occurrence of lead and gasoline at the former pump island directly links this contamination to pre-1986 operations at this address.
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.
