This property has a documented history as a automobile dealership going back to 1946. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could recover the cleanup costs already paid.

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.

Contamination at this property — chlorinated solvents, petroleum, and heavy metals in groundwater — originated from operations that began in 1946, four decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with pollution exclusions. The documented remediation costs incurred through the Voluntary Cleanup Program to achieve the 2025 No Further Action determination represent expenditures directly tied to those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Hahn Motors during the facility's first four decades may still be obligated to recover those cleanup costs.

Restorical's role is to locate viable historical policies, determine whether a successful cost recovery claim is possible, and assist our clients and their legal counsel to obtain insurance coverage for costs already incurred. Restorical's forensic accounting team works to re-establish and document past cleanup expenditures, ensuring the strongest possible basis for recovery.