This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1920. 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 contamination at this property originated from automotive and industrial operations stretching across more than six decades before 1986 — waste oil storage in underground tanks, vehicle painting with solvent-based products, and fuel dispensing infrastructure that was likely installed around 1967. Occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies issued to the operators of these parcels before 1986 carried no effective pollution exclusion under Washington law and remain potentially enforceable today. The site's documented remediation costs — soil excavation, UST closure, chemical vapor barriers, soil capping, chemical oxidation, and long-term groundwater monitoring — were incurred to address contamination tied directly to those historical operations, and cleanup work is ongoing.

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.