This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility predating 1986. Historical insurance policies issued during operations at this property 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 petroleum release here originated from a heating oil UST that was operational prior to 1981 — placing its active service squarely within the period when the carriers insuring this property issued occurrence-based CGL policies tied to that specific tank and its long-running operations. The documented remediation trail — UST removal, soil excavation, LNAPL recovery, chemical oxidation, and ongoing vapor intrusion mitigation — represents costs tied directly to that pre-1981 release, and historical carriers whose policies were in effect during those UST operations may remain obligated both to recover those expenditures and to fund the cleanup work still underway.

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.