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.

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 contamination at this property traces to Waldal's environmental contractor operation, which accumulated old underground storage tanks and hazardous waste in quantities and over a timeframe that site records suggest likely predates the 1986 regulatory threshold for USTs. The most significant costs here lie ahead of the property owner, not behind: the soil excavation explicitly deferred from the initial removal phase remains unstarted, and the cleanup schedule under MTCA incorporates long-term monitoring and periodic reviews extending years into the future. Historical CGL carriers whose policies covered Waldal's storage and handling operations during the pre-1986 period may be obligated to fund that forthcoming remediation work.

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.