This property has a documented history as a automobile dealership going back to 1918. 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.

Petroleum and solvent-related operations at this property date to at least 1930 — more than five decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still covered pollution claims without an effective exclusion. The groundwater contamination documented here — halogenated solvents, arsenic, and petroleum hydrocarbons — traces to decades of fueling and automotive operations conducted under those historical policies. Remediation costs already incurred, together with the ongoing monitoring obligations, represent expenditures that historical carriers may be obligated to fund.

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.