This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1967. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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.

Auto-wrecking operations at this property began in 1967 — nearly two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The heavy oil and carcinogenic PAH contamination documented here is consistent with the gradual, continuous fluid releases inherent to long-term vehicle dismantling, precisely the type of ongoing pollution event those pre-1986 policies were written to cover. With a hazard assessment complete but no remediation yet underway, the full cost of cleanup design and soil remediation remains ahead — expenditures that historical carriers whose policies were in force during those early decades of operation 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.