This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
The Olympic Park Building property at 17820 Highway 99 in Lynnwood previously operated as part of an auto wrecking yard, with the current commercial building constructed in 1985. A Phase-I environmental site assessment conducted by Environmental Associates, Inc. in 2007 identified the former wrecking yard operations as a recognized environmental condition, with elevated lead levels in soil attributed to the historical automotive dismantling and processing activities on site. Environmental assessments have documented the contamination and recommended future remediation actions, but no cleanup work has been completed on the subject property to date. 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 lead contamination at this property traces directly to auto wrecking operations that predate 1986, the year occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies began routinely carrying effective pollution exclusions. The abandoned in-ground hydraulic hoist and documented history of automotive service and repair activities corroborate a pattern of industrial use that extended well before that threshold. With active remediation yet to begin, the investigation, design, and cleanup costs the property owner now faces could plausibly be funded by historical carriers whose policies were in force when the contamination first occurred.
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.
