This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1958. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup — and recover costs already spent.
This property has operated as an auto wrecking and salvage yard since approximately 1958, under a succession of operators including Voss Brothers Auto Parts, American Auto Parts, American Auto Wrecking, Ferrill's Wrecking, Pull-A-Part Auto Wrecking, and the current Pick-n-Pull. A January 2015 explosion and fire at the facility led to an investigation that confirmed petroleum hydrocarbons and metals contamination in soil and groundwater, with diesel concentrations in groundwater exceeding MTCA Method A cleanup levels. The site lies within the wellhead protection zone of six drinking water wells serving Lakewood and Tacoma, and cleanup is underway under the Standard Cleanup program. That history could support an insurance cost recovery claim against carriers who issued insurance policies 40+ years ago.
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.
Auto wrecking operations at this site date to approximately 1958 — nearly three decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The operators who ran salvage and auto-parts businesses at this property during that pre-1986 window likely held CGL policies that may still respond to the site's petroleum and metals contamination liabilities. With cleanup underway and six nearby drinking water wells at stake, the remediation costs already incurred and those still ahead represent expenditures that historical carriers may be obligated 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.
What We Look For
- Historical insurance policies (pre-1986)
- Policy numbers, carrier names, and coverage periods
- Connection between contamination timing and policy period
- Evidence linking cleanup obligation to insured activity
What We Deliver
- Historical Coverage Chart
- Trigger Analysis & Property/Policy Nexus
- Coverage strategy with recommendations
- Insurance funding for your remediation
- Claims Management & Forensic Accounting
The Restorical Proven Process
Stay up to date on environmental property cleanup laws and changes.
Report Email Updates
Request more information on this property
Contact UsThis analysis is preliminary and based on publicly available records. Restorical Research is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.