This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1983. 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.

Mount Baker Cleaners began operations in 1983 — three years before 1986, the year CGL policy language began systematically excluding pollution claims — meaning the PCE and TCE contamination traced to those early years of solvent use occurred squarely within the pre-exclusion window. Any carrier that issued an occurrence-based CGL policy to Mount Baker Cleaners between 1983 and 1986 may be obligated to contribute to the remediation costs now being pursued under the Consent Decree. The active dry cleaning use and ongoing cleanup obligation mean those historical policy obligations remain live today.

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.