This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1900. 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.

Shipbuilding and repair operations at this property span more than eight decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and contained no effective pollution exclusion. The heavy metals and sandblast grit documented at the site are the product of sustained industrial activity — not a discrete spill — precisely the slow-building contamination profile those pre-1986 policies were written to reach. With remediation funding cancelled and future investigation and cleanup costs still ahead, historical carriers whose policies covered operations during the pre-1986 window may bear an obligation to fund the work that remains.

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.