This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1959. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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 using PCE at this property began in 1959 — more than two decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies stopped reliably covering pollution claims. The PCE contamination documented in soil, soil vapor, and groundwater here is the product of decades of solvent use tied directly to those pre-1986 operations, not a discrete accident or recent release. The $452,800 estimated remediation cost, plus years of required post-treatment monitoring, represents cleanup expenditures that historical carriers whose policies were in force during that operational window 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.