This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1944. 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.

Contamination at this installation originated from naval operations that began in 1944 — more than four decades before the 1986 shift away from occurrence-based Commercial General Liability coverage. Decades of remediation expenditures — groundwater treatment, free product recovery, engineered barriers, shoreline protection, and long-term monitoring — have been incurred to address releases tied to those pre-1986 operations. Historical CGL policies issued during the base's operational window may still carry obligations to recover past cleanup costs and fund the ongoing monitoring program.

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.