This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1964. 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.

Dry cleaning operations at this property began in 1964 and continued for more than two decades before 1986, the year CGL policies began incorporating effective pollution exclusions. PCE contamination of the type confirmed here — slow solvent releases accumulating in soil and groundwater over decades — is precisely the exposure profile that occurrence-based policies of that era were written to cover. The investigation, remedial design, and cleanup costs the property owner now faces could plausibly be funded by historical carriers whose policies were in force during the years Silers Cleaners was actively operating.

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.