This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1958. 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 PCE and TCE contamination at the former Fircrest Cleaners originated from dry cleaning solvents applied over decades of operations that began well before 1986, when occurrence-based CGL policies carried no effective pollution exclusion. That kind of slow, cumulative solvent release is precisely what pre-1986 policies were written to address. Historical carriers whose policies were in force during those operational years may be obligated both to recover documented remediation expenditures — vapor extraction, chemical injection treatment, and long-term monitoring — and to fund the remaining cleanup costs that lie 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.