This property has a documented history as a automobile dealership 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 petroleum release at this site has been dated to between 1981 and 1990, and the storage of leaded gasoline in the USTs confirms operations well before 1986 — when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Documented remediation costs already include tank removal, large-scale soil excavation, and site capping, with additional characterization and in-situ treatment still ahead. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the pre-1986 operational window may be obligated both to recover costs already incurred and to fund the cleanup 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.