This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1962. 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.

Dry cleaning operations at this site began in 1962 — more than two decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with pollution exclusions in 1986. The PCE contamination in soil here is the product of decades of routine dry cleaning operations and solvent handling during that pre-1986 window. With cleanup costs already spanning soil excavation, years of vapor extraction, and chemical oxidation treatment — and remediation still ongoing — historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the operators during the 1962-to-1986 period may be obligated both to reimburse past expenditures and to fund the remaining cleanup.

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.