Suit Alleges Insurers' Conspiracy to Hide Asbestos Dangers

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A class action lawsuit has been filed against more than a half dozen insurance companies alleging that the insurers conspired for decades with several asbestos defendants to conceal their knowledge of the dangers of asbestos. Wise v. Travelers Indemnity Co., et al., No. 01C-599 (W.Va. Cir. Ct., Berkeley Cty.).

In the nearly 100-page complaint - which reads more like a comprehensive history of asbestos litigation - the class alleges a trail of deceit dating back to the early 1900s and culminating with alleged deceptive discovery practices that forced asbestos claimants to accept undervalued payouts for their alleged …