This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1950. 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.

Aviation fuel dispensing at this site began in 1950 and continued for more than three decades before 1986, the year occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies ceased reliably covering pollution claims in Washington. The contamination — a historic release of Jet A fuel requiring massive soil excavation, free-product recovery, and long-term groundwater treatment — is directly attributable to those pre-1986 fueling operations conducted by major oil companies. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Union Oil and Shell during the 1950–1984 operational window may be obligated both to reimburse remediation costs already incurred and to fund the cleanup work that remains ahead.

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.