This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1968. 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 diesel contamination at this site was traced to improperly sealed fittings on underground storage tanks likely installed around 1968, meaning the release mechanism itself dates to an era when occurrence-based CGL policies were standard and routinely covered exactly this kind of slow, operational leak. Decades of seepage through faulty fittings, followed by tank removal, 1,800 cubic yards of soil excavation, groundwater treatment, and the remediation still ahead, represent the type of long-tail cleanup expenditure that historical carriers who insured Noel Transport's fueling operations may be obligated both to recover and to fund going forward.

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.