This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility 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 heating oil contamination at this site originated from UST operations that had already ceased by the 1970s — more than a decade before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion. The remediation costs tied to that pre-1986 operational history are documented: tank removals and the excavation and disposal of 44 tons of impacted soil, with cleanup still ongoing under Ecology's Standard Cleanup program. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to this facility during its active industrial period may remain obligated to fund those expenditures.

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.