This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1943. 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.

Petroleum storage and distribution operations at this site began in 1943 — more than four decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and lacked effective pollution exclusions in Washington. The TPH-G, TPH-D, and TPH-O contamination documented in soil and groundwater here is directly traceable to bulk-plant operations conducted throughout that pre-1986 window. The documented remediation costs, the years of groundwater monitoring, and the perpetual obligations created by the restrictive covenants are all expenditures tied to releases that historical carriers may be obligated to fund.

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.