This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1970. 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.

The PCE contamination at this property traces to dry cleaning operations that began as far back as the 1970s, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies with no effective pollution exclusion were standard in Washington. The documented remediation expenditures — two phases of soil excavation totaling more than 2,000 tons, an active groundwater treatment program, and long-term monitoring — represent costs directly attributable to that pre-1986 operating history. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to Snohomish Square Cleaners or Skotdal Enterprises during that window may be obligated both to recover past cleanup costs and to fund the remediation work that remains.

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.