This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1970. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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 underground fuel storage tanks that caused the diesel and heavy oil contamination at this site were installed and operated well before 1986, during the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation costs — tank removals, soil excavation and bioremediation, multi-year site characterization — are tied directly to releases from those pre-1986 operations. With cleanup formally started but no further active remediation reported, the historical carriers who insured the facility during the contamination period may be obligated both to reimburse past expenditures and to fund any remaining remediation work.

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.