This property has a documented history as a landfill predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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 dumping documented at this property is explicitly described as historic, predating the stricter solid-waste and environmental regulations that were largely in place by 1986 — the same era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. The absence of any engineered containment means leachate from automotive waste, metals, and household debris has had decades to migrate toward the groundwater that nearby drinking water wells draw from. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the responsible parties during that pre-1986 disposal window may be obligated to fund the waste removal, groundwater assessment, and remediation costs the site now requires.

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.