This property has a documented history as a public works and maintenance facility going back to 1966. 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 releases at this site trace directly to underground storage tanks installed between 1966 and 1974 — a period when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented contamination in soil and groundwater, including free product and BTEX concentrations far exceeding cleanup standards, has driven investigation and monitoring costs spanning more than three decades. Historical carriers who covered the facility's operations during that 1966–1974 installation and use window may be obligated to recover those past remediation expenditures and to fund the cleanup work still ahead.

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.