This property has a documented history as a property with a heating oil tank predating 1986. 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.

A heating oil tank removed by 2010 — and consistent with pre-1986 installation under standard tank lifecycle assumptions — would have been placed when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry norm and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The contamination documented at this property originated from that historical tank operation, and the remediation costs already incurred — tank removal, soil excavation, and bioremediation — trace directly to the release that began during the pre-1986 coverage window. Historical CGL carriers whose policies were in force during the tank's operational years may bear an obligation to fund the cleanup costs still outstanding.

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.