This property has a documented history as a industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1909. 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.

Explosives manufacturing at this property spanned nearly seven decades entirely before 1986, and investigations into the resulting hazardous waste areas were already underway by 1985 — the last year occurrence-based CGL policies were still the industry standard before effective pollution exclusions became routine. The contamination footprint here — capped soils, monitored groundwater and surface water, removed tanks and drums — reflects a legacy of industrial operations that pre-1986 carriers may be obligated to fund. With active monitoring, operation, and maintenance costs accruing on an ongoing basis, the pool of potentially recoverable expenditures continues to grow.

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.