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 — 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.

A site inspection conducted in October 1986 documented active plating operations here — placing Lynnwood Plating squarely within the window when occurrence-based CGL policies were still the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion for heavy-metal releases. The chromium, nickel, and acid contamination now embedded in the soil and sludge at this property is the direct residue of more than two decades of those pre-1986 operations, and the remediation costs — pond filling, soil cover, sludge stabilization, and ongoing VCP oversight — represent expenditures the historical carriers 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.