This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1925. 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.

Contamination at this property — PCBs, petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals — originated from heavy industrial operations spanning the better part of the twentieth century, all well before 1986 when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion. Underground storage tanks confirmed to have been installed prior to 1986 are among the documented contamination sources at the site. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to GE Energy, Roger's Olympic, and the other operators during that pre-1986 window may be obligated both to recover the remediation costs already incurred and to fund the cleanup 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.