This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility 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 UST contamination at this Georgia Pacific industrial property — petroleum hydrocarbons including gasoline, BTEX, and heating oil — is characterized in the investigation documents as stemming from historical tank activity rather than a discrete recent incident. That characterization opens a potential avenue for accessing historical occurrence-based CGL policies that covered the facility's operations during the period when contamination first occurred. At this site, the cost picture is two-sided: completed remediation expenditures include UST removal, soil excavation, and an Interim Action, while an Independent Cleanup Action remains in progress — meaning any historical carrier liability extends to both past costs already incurred and ongoing cleanup obligations yet to be funded.

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.