This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1960. 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 site traces entirely to dry cleaning operations that ran for nearly two decades before 1986, when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies still lacked effective pollution exclusions. The documented remediation here — extraction wells, an air-stripper treatment plant, septic tank closures, and public water hookups for 76 homes — reflects the full weight of liability generated by those pre-1986 operations. Historical carriers who issued CGL policies to the Trailer Village Laundromat Facility or its property owners during the 1960s and 1970s may remain obligated to fund the ongoing costs of this cleanup.

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.