This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1959. 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.

Petroleum contamination at this property originated from fueling operations and underground storage tanks installed when the service center opened in 1959 — more than two decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies began incorporating effective pollution exclusions in 1986. The documented remediation trail — two separate excavation campaigns totaling over 2,300 cubic yards and 788 tons of impacted soil, groundwater sheen recovery, and long-term monitoring — represents substantial expenditures tied directly to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Puget Sound Power & Light during that operational window may be obligated both to recover past remediation costs and to fund the ongoing monitoring requirements.

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.