This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1973. 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.

King County Metro's Central Base has operated as a bus fueling and maintenance facility since 1973, more than a decade before 1986 — the year occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. The petroleum contamination confirmed in groundwater beneath this facility is consistent with decades of fueling operations and underground storage tank use during that pre-1986 window. Remediation costs already incurred and those still ahead — investigation, cleanup design, and active groundwater remediation — represent expenditures that historical CGL carriers from the facility's pre-1986 operational period 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.