Del. Court Awards Summary Judgment to Insurers in Dispute Involving Asbestos Liabilities

WILMINGTON, Del. –– A Delaware federal court has awarded insurer defendants summary judgment, finding that coverage for asbestos-related claims under policies issued for two different periods in the 1980s was barred.

In the May 29 opinion, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware did defer ruling on an additional policy pending a report from a Swiss law expert.

The dispute arose from a policy sold by Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd. to Schweizerische Aluminum AG (the “Swiss Policy”), which provided coverage for the company and its subsidiaries, including Maremont. This policy provided “high level excess policy” providing excess coverage …