This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1927. 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.

Bulk petroleum storage at this property began in 1927 — nearly six decades before 1986 — and continued through an era when occurrence-based CGL policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. The contamination profile here includes petroleum free product still migrating in groundwater decades after tank removal, and investigators have recommended testing for tetraalkyl lead, EDB, and EDC given the likelihood of leaded-gasoline releases predating 1996. Historical carriers who issued CGL coverage during the long operational run of this bulk plant may be obligated to fund the substantial excavation and pump-and-treat costs that lie ahead.

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.