This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1964. 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.

The chlorinated-solvent and petroleum contamination at this site traces to dry cleaning operations that were underway more than two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. With remediation ongoing and contaminant levels still exceeding cleanup standards, the property faces both past and future cleanup expenditures — tank removals, soil excavation, and whatever additional groundwater remedy the Independent Action requires. Historical carriers whose CGL policies were in force during the pre-1986 operational window may be obligated to reimburse costs already incurred and to fund the remediation work still ahead.

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.