This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1960. 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 bulk plant traces directly to underground storage tanks and distribution infrastructure that were operating years before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. Unocal's own records indicate fuel supply to the site began in 1975 and the USTs in active use were acquired around 1982 — both squarely within the pre-1986 window that governs CGL coverage eligibility. The documented remediation expenditures — multi-phase soil excavation, a soil vapor extraction system, and years of groundwater monitoring — represent costs that historical carriers who issued policies during those operational years may be obligated to recover and continue funding.

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.