This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1941. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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.

Alum production at this facility began in 1941 — more than four decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies stopped including effective pollution coverage. The contamination here traces directly to sulfuric acid handling and waste-pond disposal practices carried out throughout those pre-1986 decades, the same operations that drew documented regulatory attention beginning in the 1980s. Historical CGL carriers whose policies were in effect during that early operational window may carry obligations to fund the investigation and remediation costs the property owner 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.