This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1980. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could help fund the ongoing and future cleanup under Oregon DEQ oversight.

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 Oregon — and those policies may provide coverage that remains enforceable today. 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 property began by at least 1980 and continued through successive operators for decades, placing the origin of PCE contamination squarely within the pre-1986 policy period. With significant investigation still required to delineate the lateral extent of contamination both on-site and off-site, followed by remediation and long-term monitoring under Oregon DEQ's Dry Cleaner Program, the future cleanup costs this property still faces may fall to historical pre-1986 carriers whose policies were in effect during those early years of dry-cleaning operations.

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.