Asbestos Defendant Sues Liberty Mutual over Coverage for Injury Claims

NEWARK, N.J. - A specialty chemicals supplier has accused its insurer of wrongfully denying coverage for underlying asbestos claims on the ground that the company failed to establish its status as successor-in-interest to its predecessor's policies. Chemetall Foote Corp. v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., No. 06-4770 (D. N.J.).

Chemetall Foote Corp. maintains that it has fulfilled its obligations under the comprehensive general liability policies issued to its predecessor, Foote Mineral Co., but that Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. breached the contract by depriving Chemetall of the coverage benefits.

Chemetall sued Liberty Mutual in state court seeking a declaration of coverage in …