This property has a documented history as a property with a heating oil tank going back to 1940. 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.

The heating oil contamination at this former naval facility traces to underground storage tanks installed no later than the late 1930s — nearly five decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion. CGL policies issued to the operators of the Naval Reserve Readiness Center during its pre-1986 operational window may remain enforceable against costs already documented — UST removals, soil excavation, groundwater treatment, and institutional controls — as well as against future obligations tied to Ecology's ongoing periodic oversight of the site.

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.