This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1962. 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 waste oil and petroleum contamination at this property traces directly to tank installations and bus maintenance operations that began in 1962 — more than two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The remediation expenditures already incurred — UST removals, soil excavation, regulatory fees — and the investigation and cleanup costs still ahead are both tied to releases from those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the school district during that operational window may remain obligated to fund both the costs already documented and those yet to come.

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.