This property has a documented history as a automobile dealership going back to 1985. 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 contamination at this site originated from underground storage tanks installed and placed into operation in 1985 — before the 1986 threshold at which occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies began incorporating effective pollution exclusions. Tank T-1 operated continuously from 1985 through 1997, meaning the petroleum release that drove decades of remediation activity began squarely within the pre-1986 policy window. The documented cleanup expenditures — UST removals, soil excavation, chemical oxidation treatment, and extended groundwater monitoring — represent costs that historical CGL carriers may be obligated both to recover and to fund for the monitoring period still 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.