5th Circuit Reverses Order Awarding Costs to Excess Insurer in Asbestos-Related Dispute

NEW ORLEANS –– The 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has reversed an order awarding costs to an excess insurer, finding that the company’s policy contained a pollution exclusion that barred coverage for asbestos claims.

In the Aug. 18 order, the 5th Circuit remanded the case for a determination on whether a “sudden and accidental” exception to the pollution exclusion applied.

Longhorn Gasket and Supply Co. was named as a defendant in a number of asbestos and mixed dust lawsuits for its role in manufacturing and selling asbestos-containing gaskets in the 1980s and 1990s. During the time period in …