This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1951. 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 petroleum contamination here traces to underground storage tanks and an oil furnace heating system installed during Timken Roller Bearing's industrial occupancy — operations that predate 1986 by more than three decades. Occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies issued to operators during that pre-1986 window carried no effective pollution exclusion and remain enforceable today. The documented remediation at this site — UST removals, contaminated soil excavation, and continuing groundwater treatment — represents cleanup expenditures that historical carriers whose policies covered industrial operations here may be obligated to fund.

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.