This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility predating 1986. 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 — metals from industrial sandblasting operations and petroleum from a leaking UST and compressor infrastructure — originates from activities that predate 1986, the year occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies with no effective pollution exclusion were still the industry standard. The remediation record here is substantial: more than 7,000 tons of excavated soil, years of groundwater dewatering and off-site treatment, bioremediation injections, and multi-year monitoring rounds representing a documented cost trail tied directly to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the sandblasting, auto repair, and storage tank era at this site may still be obligated to contribute to those cleanup costs.

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.