Liberty Mutual Urges Court to Deny Nationwide’s Petition to Compel Arbitration

BOSTON — Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. is urging a federal court to deny Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co.’s petition to compel arbitration of a dispute concerning an access-to-records clause, asserting that the issue was already arbitrated and resulted in an award confirmed by a state court.

In its Nov. 27 opposition, Liberty says the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts should defer to the state court to enforce its own judgment confirming the award.

Nationwide and Liberty entered into a series of excess of loss reinsurance contracts between 1972 and 1983. The treaties include an arbitration clause requiring …