This property has a documented history as a automobile dealership going back to 1964. 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 contamination at this property traces to gasoline and waste oil storage tanks installed in 1964 — more than two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Carriers who issued CGL policies to Topping Motors during that pre-1986 operational window may remain obligated under those policies today. The documented remediation expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation across multiple episodes, and unresolved cleanup obligations — represent costs that historical carriers may be required both to recover for work already done and to fund for the cleanup actions still 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.