This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1954. 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.

The PCE, diesel, and oil contamination documented at this property originated from automotive repair operations that ran continuously for decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The 300 tons of excavated PCE-affected soil represent documented remediation expenditures tied directly to that pre-1986 operational history. With performance monitoring still ahead, historical carriers whose policies were in force during the facility's long pre-1986 operating window may be obligated both to recover those past cleanup costs and to fund the monitoring work that remains.

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.