This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1942. 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 these former fuel farms originated from bulk storage and distribution operations that began in 1942 — more than four decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and had no effective pollution exclusion. Specific spills were documented as early as 1955 and 1973, squarely within the era those policies covered. The site's documented remediation costs — tank and dry-well removals, soil excavation, free product recovery, and a multi-decade groundwater monitoring program — represent both expenditures already incurred and ongoing obligations that historical carriers may be required 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.