This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal predating 1986. 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 oil spillage documented at this facility's loading and unloading areas and sumps was the direct byproduct of oil-recycling operations that were active at least as early as 1980, years before occurrence-based CGL policies began carrying effective pollution exclusions. Carriers who issued such policies to the operators of this bulk petroleum storage and recycling facility during that pre-1986 window may be obligated to respond to the contamination those operations produced. That obligation runs in two directions: recovering the investigation costs already incurred to characterize the spillage, and funding the remediation work that remains in progress at the site.

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.