This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1950. 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.

Industrial operations at this property — truck repair and boat manufacturing involving hazardous substances — began well before 1986, when occurrence-based CGL policies were still the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Remediation costs have already been incurred here: investigation-derived waste disposal and borehole restoration represent documented expenditures tied directly to contamination from those pre-1986 operations. With cleanup still actively underway, historical carriers who issued CGL policies during the site's operational window may be obligated both to recover those past costs and to fund the work that remains.

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.