This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1900. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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 property traces to industrial activities predating 1986 by decades: oil sludge was disposed of on-site in the late 1960s, and the underground storage tanks that released petroleum into the surrounding soil were installed in 1975. The EPA's 1985–1986 inspection confirms that regulators had already identified suspected hazardous substances before the pollution exclusion became standard in Commercial General Liability policies. Historical carriers who issued occurrence-based CGL policies to the operators during that pre-1986 window may be obligated to fund the remediation costs — UST removal, soil excavation, landfarming, and long-term site management — that the current 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.