This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1930. 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.

Contamination at McChord Air Force Base stems from military operations that began more than five decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion. The scale of the cleanup — 29 identified sites requiring remedial action, removal actions, and long-term monitoring under a federal Consent Decree — represents substantial remediation expenditures tied directly to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers whose policies were in effect during that operational window may be obligated both to recover past cleanup costs and to fund remediation 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.