This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1980. 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 at this property was installed in 1980 and operated continuously through 1990 — the entire decade straddling the industry's shift away from occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies that carried no effective pollution exclusion. The release from that tank, though confirmed in 1992, originated from fueling operations conducted throughout the pre-1986 window. More than thirty years of documented remediation expenditures — vapor extraction, chemical oxidation, bioremediation, large-scale soil excavation, and ongoing groundwater monitoring — represent costs the historical carriers who covered Hobart Corporation during the 1980–1986 operational period may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.