This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1963. 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.

The contamination here is attributed to historical releases tied to industrial operations that ran from 1963 through 1986 — the precise window when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Leaded gasoline and heating oil from underground storage tanks are among the identified contaminants of concern, both characteristic of pre-1986 industrial sites where gradual subsurface releases were common. The costs yet to be incurred — continued remediation, containment, and institutional controls — represent obligations that historical carriers whose CGL policies covered the mechanical contracting and tenant operations during that era may be required 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.