This property has a documented history as a bulk fuel distribution terminal going back to 1965. 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.

This facility operated continuously from 1965 onward, placing more than two decades of bulk petroleum operations squarely within the window when occurrence-based CGL policies — issued without effective pollution exclusions — were the industry standard in Washington. Although the documented releases at this site date to 1999, 2004, and 2005 rather than the pre-1986 era, the facility's uninterrupted operational history since 1965 establishes the coverage period during which historical carriers insured these petroleum operations. The remediation costs now being incurred for groundwater and surface water cleanup warrant examination of those historical policy obligations.

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.