This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1911. 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.

Coal gasification operations at this property began in 1911 — more than seven decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The scale of byproduct production documented here, combined with decades of subsequent truck maintenance activity, places the contamination origin squarely within that pre-1986 operational era. With active remediation still ahead, the historical carriers who issued CGL policies during those industrial-use years may be obligated to fund the cleanup costs this property now faces.

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.