This property has a documented history as a landfill going back to 1968. 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 hazardous substance disposal that contaminated groundwater at this site occurred from 1975 to 1980 — squarely within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The contamination was significant enough to trigger federal Superfund listing in 1983 and has driven decades of documented remediation expenditures, with responsible parties still facing reimbursement obligations for ongoing groundwater extraction, cap maintenance, monitoring, and alternative water supply costs. Historical CGL carriers who issued policies to operators or waste contributors during that pre-1986 window may remain obligated to fund a share of 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.