This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1914. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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.

This railyard has been in continuous industrial operation since 1914 — more than seven decades of activity before 1986, during which occurrence-based CGL policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. While documented contamination at the site has been attributed to recent incidents, suspected groundwater contamination beneath a century-old railyard that used creosote-treated crossties has never been sampled or fully investigated. As the site's full environmental condition is assessed and cleanup costs are incurred, pre-1986 carriers who insured those decades of railyard operations may bear obligations tied to any historical releases that investigation reveals.

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.