This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1984. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

Auto repair operations at this property began in 1984, before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to forms with enforceable pollution exclusions. The contamination here — petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals from auto body and repair activity — originated from operational practices during that pre-1986 window, when CGL policies treated gradual environmental releases as covered occurrences. More than a decade of documented remediation expenditures, from investigation through soil excavation and disposal, represents costs that historical carriers who issued policies during the facility's early operating years may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.