This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1956. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
Nob Hill Auto Wrecking has operated as a used automobile parts salvage yard since at least 1956, with vehicles drained of fluids and stripped for parts on-site before being stored in the wrecking yard. General cleanup activities occurred in 1996 following a flood event, but contamination in soil and groundwater has persisted. Yakima County plans future remediation involving contaminated soil excavation with potential overexcavation, groundwater pumping during excavation, and multi-year TPH-D groundwater monitoring after remedial activities are complete. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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 routine draining of vehicle fluids that defined this salvage yard's operations began no later than the early 1960s — decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. The diesel-range petroleum hydrocarbons now documented in soil and groundwater here are the direct product of that long-term automotive fluid handling, not an isolated incident. Historical CGL carriers whose policies were in force during those pre-1986 operating years may be obligated to fund the excavation, groundwater management, and extended monitoring costs the property owner now faces.
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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
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Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
