Swiss Re Says Amerisure Estopped from Litigating Defense Costs Issue in Mich. Reinsurance Case

DETROIT — Swiss Reinsurance America Corp. told a Michigan federal judge that Amerisure Mutual Insurance Co. cannot sue the reinsurer for reimbursement of defense costs incurred by Armstrong International Inc. in underlying asbestos exposure actions because the issue has already been arbitrated.

In an Oct. 5 answer filed before Judge Mark Goldsmith of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Swiss Re contends that Amerisure has waived and/or should be estopped from relitigating the issue of whether its pre-1981 umbrella policies pay defense costs within or in addition to the limits on those policies.

According to …