This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1940. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the multi-phase investigation and remediation work ahead under Wisconsin DNR oversight.

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 Wisconsin — and those policies may provide coverage that remains enforceable today. 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.

Wood-preserving operations at this facility began in the 1940s and continued for decades before 1986, with underground PCP storage tanks installed approximately forty years before the contamination was formally identified. The ongoing pump-and-treat operations, continued groundwater monitoring, and Wisconsin River sediment assessment under Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program oversight represent substantial future costs that those historical pre-1986 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.