This property has a documented history as a dry cleaning facility going back to 1969. 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 1969 — seventeen years before occurrence-based CGL policies gave way to claims-made forms with pollution exclusions. The solvent contamination now requiring remediation under the Voluntary Cleanup Program traces directly to decades of PCE use in those pre-1986 operations. With cleanup already underway and monitoring costs accumulating since 2001, historical carriers whose policies were in force during the 1969–1986 operational window may be obligated both to reimburse past remediation expenditures and to fund 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.