This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1971. 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.

Sooper Dry Cleaners and Four Star Cleaners used PCE at this Normandy Park property starting around 1971 — more than a decade before the 1986 threshold after which pollution exclusions became standard — meaning the carriers who issued CGL coverage to those specific operators during the 1971–1986 window may bear direct responsibility for the contamination those operations produced. The accumulated costs already incurred — 37 tons of soil excavation, three separate SVE campaigns spanning 1999 to the present, and ongoing air sparging — represent expenditures those historical insurers may be obligated to recover. Because active groundwater treatment continues and a permeable reactive barrier remains proposed, substantial remediation expenditures lie ahead that historical carriers may also be required to fund.

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.