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.

The PCE and TCE contamination at this property traces directly to dry cleaning operations that were active here before 1986 — meaning the occurrence-based CGL policies in force at the time covered these very releases before effective pollution exclusions became standard. The site's documented remediation record — PCE-contaminated soil removal, groundwater management infrastructure, vapor intrusion controls, and years of monitoring — reflects costs tied specifically to those pre-1986 dry-cleaning discharges. With a feasibility study still underway, the full remediation bill is not yet closed, and historical carriers whose policies were in effect during the dry cleaner's operation may be obligated both to contribute to costs already incurred and to fund work that remains 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.