This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1907. 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 contamination at this site originated from industrial shingle mill operations that predate 1986 by more than six decades, placing the pollution-generating activity squarely within the era of occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies that lacked effective pollution exclusions. The hydraulic fill placed in the mid-1970s extended that contamination footprint just years before the industry-wide policy shift in 1986. Historical carriers who issued CGL coverage to operators of this property during those decades may bear obligations for the documented excavation costs already incurred and for the ongoing institutional controls managing residual groundwater contamination.

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.