This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1950. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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 — petroleum, heavy metals, and solvents — traces directly to repair and junkyard operations that were already underway decades before 1986, when occurrence-based CGL policies were still the market standard and contained no effective pollution exclusion. Complaints about the dumping of radiator contents and sludge surfaced as early as 1993 and 1995, pointing to a slow, ongoing release pattern characteristic of the pollution events those pre-1986 policies were written to cover. With active cleanup still to come, the property owner faces prospective investigation and remediation expenditures that historical carriers whose policies were in force during those decades of operation may be obligated to fund.

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.