By Samantha DeElorrieta
Many organizations are sitting on valuable assets they do not realize they have. Historical liability insurance, including decades old general liability coverage, can protect organizations from legacy claims exposure that surfaces long after operations or policies have changed. In 2026, auditing your historical insurance is not just good housekeeping. It is a practical risk management step that can save time, money, and stress when it matters most.
What Is a Historical Insurance Audit and How Insurance Archaeology Fits In?
A historical insurance audit involves reviewing legacy records such as insurance files, accounting documents, and board or committee meeting minutes to determine what insurance coverage an organization carried and when.
During an audit, it is important to identify and document the following information whenever possible:
- Insurance carrier
- Policy period
- Type of coverage, including general liability, umbrella, or excess
- Whether the policy was occurrence-based or claims-made
- Any self-insured retention limits, sometimes listed as deductibles on older policies
- Occurrence limits and aggregate limits
For most organizations, the primary focus should be on historical general liability policies. Depending on operations and risk profile, some organizations should also review historical workers’ compensation coverage.
Why Historical Coverage Still Matters
General liability and workers’ compensation policies in many states can respond to long-tail claims. These are claims made years, or even decades, after the policy period has ended. In these situations, the policy in effect at the time of the alleged incident, not when the claim is filed, determines coverage.
As a result, insurance policies from the 1960s, 1970s, or 1990s may still be highly relevant today.
Why Audit Now?
The short answer is simple. For organizations with potential legacy claims exposure, understanding historical liability insurance before litigation begins is a strategic advantage, not an administrative task.
Auditing your historical insurance now allows you to clearly understand both what coverage exists and where potential gaps may be.
Understand limits and financial exposure
Knowing historical policy limits and self-insured retentions allows organizations to plan accordingly. Many discover that older policies carried limits of $50,000 or $500,000. Others learn they had a $250,000 self-insured retention, meaning the organization is responsible for that amount before insurance responds.
Identify liquidated or insolvent carriers
Some insurance companies are no longer in business. If a carrier that insured your organization decades ago has since been liquidated, there may be no coverage available for that period. Identifying this early avoids surprises later.
Clarify what exists
Some organizations have complete policies going back 50 years. Others find only references to insurance carriers in meeting minutes, with no policy details. In some cases, entire periods of coverage history are missing. Knowing exactly what you have and what you do not is essential, and too often overlooked until it is too late.
Address gaps proactively
Once gaps are identified, insurance archaeology can assist with locating lost policies, reconstructing coverage, and filling in missing years using secondary evidence.
The Litigation Reality
Organizations of all sizes are increasingly facing lawsuits tied to alleged incidents that occurred many years ago. Public companies, family-owned businesses, large churches, and congregations of ten people alike have been impacted.
When litigation arises, organizations are already managing attorneys, court deadlines, depositions, and document production. Searching for decades-old insurance records at the same time adds unnecessary stress and risk.
In addition, many policies include late notice provisions. If an insurer is not notified of a claim within the required timeframe, coverage can be denied. Knowing your historical carriers and policy years allows for prompt, accurate notice and helps avoid preventable coverage disputes.
The Bottom Line
A historical liability insurance audit is not about the past. It is about protecting your organization’s future.
By understanding your historical coverage now, you reduce uncertainty, strengthen your risk position, and place your organization in a far better position if a claim ever arises. In 2026, this is one of the most practical and proactive risk management steps an organization can take.
Take the Next Step
If your organization has not reviewed its historical insurance coverage recently, now is the time to start.
A preliminary audit can often be completed using records you already have on hand and can quickly identify strengths, gaps, and potential exposure. From there, you can determine whether deeper insurance archaeology support makes sense for your organization.
If you would like to discuss how a historical insurance audit could benefit your organization, contact PolicyFind. We are happy to help you evaluate your records and outline clear next steps.