This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1947. 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.

PCE contamination at this site originated from dry cleaning operations that ran for nearly four decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were still the industry standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion in Washington. The documented remediation expenditures — soil excavation, vapor extraction, building demolition, and more than two decades of environmental work — trace directly to releases from those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Parkland Cleaners or the property operator during the 1947–1985 window may still be obligated to recover past costs and fund the remaining remediation work.

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.