This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1970. 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.

Truck maintenance and container cleaning at this property began in the early 1970s — more than a decade before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and pollution exclusions were not yet reliably enforced in Washington. The slow, ongoing release of used oil and cleaning-chemical residuals from routine industrial operations is precisely the contamination profile those pre-1986 policies were written to cover. Historical carriers whose CGL policies were in effect during the 1970s and early 1980s may be obligated to fund the remaining cleanup costs the property 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.