This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1975. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.
This Lakewood property has operated as an automobile service and repair facility — under the names UP Auto Service and Reid's Automotive — since the service garage was constructed in 1975. Historical operations included three underground hydraulic lift systems and used-oil and motor-oil storage, each a recognized source of petroleum-related contamination. Remediation work to date has included cleaning and filling a floor drain and sump, and the excavation and removal of all three hydraulic lift systems along with contaminated soils in late 2021 and early 2022; further investigation or remedial actions may still be required by Ecology. 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.
Auto repair operations at this property began in 1975 — more than a decade before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies stopped reliably covering pollution claims. Contamination tied to underground hydraulic systems and used-oil storage is precisely the type of gradual, operational release those pre-1986 policies were written to address. Any further investigation and remedial actions that Ecology requires going forward represent the primary costs that historical carriers whose policies were in force during those years may be obligated to fund.
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.
