This property has a documented history as a auto body / repair shop going back to 1921. 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 petroleum and lead contamination at this property originated from automotive garage and fueling operations that began in the early 1920s, more than six decades before 1986 — the threshold year after which occurrence-based CGL policies began incorporating effective pollution exclusions. The three gasoline USTs installed during that operational era were not formally closed until 1989, meaning the releases they generated occurred squarely within the window when pre-1986 policies were in force and broadly covered environmental liabilities. The documented remediation costs — removal of over 8,400 tons of impacted soil, tank removals, and continuing groundwater monitoring and vapor controls — represent expenditures that historical carriers may be obligated to fund both retroactively and going forward.

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.