This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1956. 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 contamination at this property — pentachlorophenol and petroleum hydrocarbons — originated from industrial wood-treatment operations that began in the 1950s, well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry norm and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The continuous, process-driven release of PCP from the door-dipping operation is precisely the kind of exposure those pre-1986 policies were written to address. Historical carriers who issued CGL coverage to Sedorco or its predecessors during that operational window may be obligated both to recover the remediation costs already incurred and to fund the cleanup work that remains 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.