This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1936. 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.

Commercial and industrial operations at this property span back to at least 1936, placing decades of activity squarely within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The confirmed petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in groundwater — and the remediation costs associated with addressing it — represent obligations that historical carriers who covered the property's operations during that pre-1986 window may be required to fund. With cleanup still in progress, both past expenditures and future remediation costs remain at stake.

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.