This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1962. 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.

Dry cleaning operations at this property began by 1962 and ran for nearly two decades — well within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The contamination now requiring cleanup — a PCE groundwater plume reaching surface water and vapor intrusion affecting nearby residential properties — traces to those pre-1986 solvent-based operations. Historical carriers who insured the dry cleaning business during its 1962-to-late-1970s operational window may be obligated to cover remediation costs already incurred and to fund the ongoing 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.