This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1992. 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.

PCE contamination at this site originated from dry cleaning operations that began in 1992 and continued for up to twenty-five years, generating a slow, ongoing release of chlorinated solvents into soil and groundwater. Commercial General Liability policies issued to the operators during that window may cover the resulting environmental liabilities, including the documented remediation expenditures — soil excavation, groundwater treatment, vapor extraction, air sparging, and long-term monitoring — that the property continues to incur. With cleanup still underway, historical carriers whose policies were in effect when contamination was occurring may be obligated both to reimburse past costs and to fund the remaining remediation.

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.