This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1922. 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 tar and fuel release at this site originated from logging camp operations conducted between 1922 and 1932 — more than five decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still lacked effective pollution exclusions in Washington. The documented multi-year remediation program, spanning initial investigations, a substantial interim soil excavation, and a continuing remedial investigation with significant future work anticipated, represents a growing ledger of cleanup costs tied directly to that pre-1986 industrial release. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the logging camp operators or the underlying landowners during those years of active operation may still be obligated to recover past expenditures and fund the remediation work that remains ahead.

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.