This property has a documented history as a farm and agricultural operation going back to 1963. 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 site — pesticides, herbicides, and petroleum hydrocarbons — originated from more than two decades of formulation and mixing operations conducted entirely before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The 1986 enforcement order itself ties the release directly to pre-1986 tank and sump operations, establishing a clear causal link between the historical activity and the documented contamination. The remediation expenditures already incurred — incineration of sump sediments, tank liquid removal — and the substantial cleanup costs still ahead — soil excavation, sump decommissioning, long-term monitoring — are costs that historical CGL carriers who issued policies to Soil & Crop, Inc. during the 1963–1986 operational window may be obligated both to recover and to fund 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.