This property has a documented history as an industrial and manufacturing facility going back to 1890. 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.

Industrial and commercial operations at this property began as early as 1890 and continued through multiple decades before 1986, including paint manufacturing with oil storage, electric sign production, meat processing, and automotive repair — activities during which industrial processes and urban fill introduced polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, arsenic, and lead into soil and groundwater across the site. The planned excavation of approximately 4,467 cubic yards of contaminated soil, continued groundwater investigation across fourteen monitoring wells, and long-term compliance monitoring required under Wisconsin DNR Environmental Remediation Program oversight represent substantial future costs that the pre-1986 carriers for the businesses that operated here 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.