This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop predating 1986. 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 chlorinated solvent contamination at this property traces directly to auto maintenance operations that predate 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The scope of planned remediation — soil excavation, groundwater treatment, decades of monitoring, and financial assurance obligations — represents substantial costs tied to releases that began during the coverage window of those historical policies. Carriers who issued CGL policies to the operators during the pre-1986 period may be obligated both to recover costs already incurred and to fund the cleanup work still ahead.

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.