This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1982. 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.

Dry cleaning operations at this Yelm facility began in 1982, when PCE was the dominant solvent across the industry and commercial insurers routinely issued occurrence-based CGL policies to dry cleaning businesses without effective pollution exclusions. The PCE and TCE now documented in soils and soil vapor here reflect more than two decades of dry cleaning activity — a slow, continuous release of the kind those pre-1986 policies were written to cover. Historical carriers who issued CGL coverage to this facility's operators during that window may be obligated to fund the ongoing investigation and remediation costs.

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.