This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1935. 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.

The dry cleaning operations responsible for this PCE plume date to the mid-1930s — roughly five decades before occurrence-based Commercial General Liability policies gave way to claims-made forms with absolute pollution exclusions. CGL policies issued to those dry cleaning operators during their pre-1986 operational years were written without effective pollution exclusions and may still respond to the contamination liabilities now documented at this site. With cleanup costs still ahead — investigation, remedial design, and remediation of a confirmed solvent plume — historical carriers from that era represent a plausible funding source for the property's environmental obligations.

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.