This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1966. 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 underground storage tanks and hydraulic equipment at this facility were installed in the mid-1960s to early 1970s — well within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The petroleum contamination that triggered nearly a decade of excavation, soil removal, and site restoration traces directly to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who provided CGL coverage during the decades this equipment was in service may be obligated to reimburse documented remediation costs and to fund the cleanup work that remains ahead.

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.