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 documented at this site originated from dry cleaning operations that predate 1986 by many years — chlorinated solvents were the industry standard for decades before that cutoff. Occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies issued to the operators during that pre-1986 window carried no effective pollution exclusion and remain potentially enforceable against historical carriers today. The documented cost trail here — years of investigative work, monitoring infrastructure, and a Feasibility Study now in preparation — represents expenditures that those carriers may be obligated both to recover and to fund as active cleanup proceeds.

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.