This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility predating 1986. 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.

Dry cleaning and fuel storage operations at this Mercer Island property predate 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies carried no effective pollution exclusion — meaning carriers who insured those operations may remain liable for the contamination they covered. The documented remediation record already represents more than sixteen years of active work: three storage tank removals, excavation of over 7,400 tons of contaminated soil on- and off-site, and years of vapor extraction — substantial sunk costs that historical carriers may be obligated to recover. With cleanup work still ongoing, those same pre-1986 policies may also be called upon to fund the continuing remediation 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.