This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility predating 1986. 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.

The petroleum contamination at this property traces directly to underground storage tanks that were installed and operated decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies routinely covered pollution claims without exclusion. The scale of remediation already undertaken — 8,400 cubic yards of contaminated soil removed and seven contaminants exceeding cleanup levels in groundwater — reflects substantial expenditures tied to those pre-1986 operations. With cleanup still in progress, historical carriers whose CGL policies were in force during the tanks' operational life may be obligated both to reimburse past costs and to fund the remaining remediation.

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.