This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1969. Historical insurance policies issued during those prior operations and through 1986 could fund a cleanup.

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 contamination migrating onto this property originates from dry cleaning operations that began at the Johns Cleaners source property no later than 1969 — more than fifteen years before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies with no effective pollution exclusion were the industry standard. PCE and TCE releases from that prolonged pre-1986 operational period produced the subsurface plume now documented beneath the Rite Aid parcel. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Johns Cleaners during that window may remain obligated to fund the investigation and remediation costs now facing the affected properties.

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.