This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1973. 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.

Truck repair, paint shop operations, and chemical storage at this property began in 1973 — more than a decade before occurrence-based CGL policies began reliably excluding pollution claims. The petroleum hydrocarbon and chlorinated solvent contamination attributed to those historical operations and fill materials is precisely the type of slow, diffuse release that pre-1986 policies were written to address. Two separate excavation phases have already produced documented remediation costs, and prospective expenditures for vapor extraction, chemical oxidation, and extended groundwater monitoring remain on the table — all of which may be recoverable from historical carriers whose policies were in force during those years of operation.

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.