This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1942. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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 contamination at Fairchild AFB originated from landfill operations and fuel storage activities spanning the 1950s through 1970s — well before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. Environmental cleanup efforts at the base were documented as early as 1975, and formal hazardous waste investigations began in 1984, placing the earliest remediation costs squarely within the coverage window of those pre-1986 policies. The full scope of expenditures — soil excavation, groundwater extraction and treatment, vapor extraction, bioremediation, and ongoing long-term monitoring — represents costs that historical carriers whose policies covered base operations during that pre-1986 era may be obligated both to recover and to 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.