This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1964. 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.

Wood-preserving operations at this facility began in 1964, more than two decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions in 1986. The contamination documented across groundwater, sediment, and surface water — including dioxins/furans, halogenated organics, and PAHs — traces directly to those pre-1986 preservative operations over PWT's 29-year tenure. With cleanup already underway and remediation costs accumulating, historical CGL carriers whose policies covered PWT during its 1964–1993 operational window may bear obligation for both past expenditures and ongoing cleanup funding.

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.