This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1965. 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 in 1965 and continued through at least 1984 — nearly two full decades within the era when occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies were standard and carried no effective pollution exclusion. The halogenated solvents released during those operations are now confirmed in groundwater and air at concentrations requiring remediation under MTCA. Historical CGL carriers who insured the strip mall's dry cleaning tenants during that 1965–1984 operational window may be obligated to fund the ongoing cleanup costs — investigation, remedial design, and remediation — that this contamination now demands.

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.