This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1949. 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.

Automotive repair and fueling operations at this site were underway more than three decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and had not yet incorporated effective pollution exclusions. The petroleum and hydraulic-oil contamination documented here traces directly to those pre-1986 operations — underground storage tanks almost certainly installed by the mid-1960s, in-ground hydraulic systems, and decades of vehicle service. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies during that operational window may be obligated both to recover the costs of completed excavation and to fund the remediation work that remains.

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.