This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1910. 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.

Contamination at this property — cement kiln dust, metals, and hydrocarbons — originated from manufacturing and distribution operations that began in 1910 and ran through the 1960s and beyond, spanning multiple decades before 1986. Occurrence-based CGL policies issued to the operators during that pre-1986 window had no effective pollution exclusion in Washington and remain potentially enforceable today. The documented remediation costs — soil excavation, engineered containment, long-term groundwater monitoring, and ongoing institutional controls — represent expenditures that historical carriers whose policies were in effect during the operational period may be obligated to fund.

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.