Industrial & Manufacturing cleanup site — Restorical Research
Selland Auto Transport
615 S 96th St, Seattle, King County
Restorical Research
Preliminary Site-Specific Analysis

This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1967. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.

This property has operated as an automobile carrier terminal and maintenance facility since 1967, supporting fleet-scale refueling, truck washing, and vehicle maintenance for Selland Auto Transport, Inc. Underground storage tanks for diesel (20,000 gallons), gasoline (2,000 gallons), and waste oil (two 2,000-gallon tanks) were installed to serve those operations. Cleanup activities beginning in 1998 have included excavation and removal of three USTs, soil over-excavation and asphalt capping, in-place decommissioning of the 20,000-gallon diesel tank with foam, oil/water separator repair, and oil recovery. The site remains under regulatory oversight and currently operates as a truck wash and maintenance facility. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.

Former Use
Former Industrial & Manufacturing
Address615 S 96th St, Seattle, King County
Historical UseIndustrial & Manufacturing
Est. Operating Since1967
StatusCleanup Started
Contamination & Investigation
Site Assessment Summary
ContaminantsPetroleum hydrocarbons (diesel, gasoline, waste oil) from leaking and decommissioned USTs in soil
Media ImpactedSoil, Groundwater
Regulatory ProgramMTCA — Standard Cleanup
Ecology Site #5980

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.

Petroleum contamination at this property traces to underground storage tanks installed and operated from the early 1970s — more than a decade before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation costs to date — UST removals, soil excavation, tank decommissioning, and ongoing stormwater compliance spanning nearly three decades — represent expenditures that historical carriers who wrote CGL policies during the pre-1986 operational window may be obligated both to reimburse and to fund as cleanup continues.

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.

What We Look For

  • Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
  • Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
  • Connection between contamination timing and policy period
  • Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity

What We Deliver

  • Historical Coverage Chart
  • Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
  • Coverage strategy with recommendations
  • Insurance funding for your remediation
  • Claims Management & Forensic Accounting

The Restorical Proven Process

Task 1 — Research and Analysis
Restorical searches for viable historical insurance policies, researches the site history, analyzes the contamination impacts, and underwrites potential coverage — including a proprietary trigger analysis. At the end of Task 1, we provide a clear yes or no on whether a successful cost recovery is possible, along with a strategy and recommendation specific to your situation, even if you are not the policyholder.
Task 2 — Coverage and Funding
When Task 1 confirms viable coverage, Restorical works with your legal counsel to tender the claim, negotiate and secure insurance coverage. Restorical will manage the ongoing claim process, including accounting to ensure the insurance companies are funding your remediation in a timely manner.

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This analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.