AXA Belgium Properly Raised Offset Issue, Federal Court Rules

PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania federal judge has denied Century Indemnity Co.'s motion to quantify a 2007 arbitration award rendered against AXA Belgium SA, ruling that a New York federal court must decide whether the offset issue raised by AXA is arbitrable. Century Indemnity Co. v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's, No. 09-94 (E.D. Pa.).

On Jan. 11, Judge Paul S. Diamond of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania also refused to enjoin AXA from proceeding with its motion to compel arbitration, ruling that the motion was not filed in bad faith.

In the late 1970s, AXA issued …