United States Third Circuit
Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's London v. Westchester Fire Ins. Co., 06-1457
In a matter involving an underlying dispute over the payment of asbestos claims under reinsurance coverage, grant of insurer's cross-motions to compel arbitration is affirmed where, in light of applicable authority, the parties' agreement to arbitrate their disputes, contractual silence as to the consolidation issue, and the longstanding federal policy favoring arbitration, the district court properly found that an arbitrator should decide whether the coverage disputes under nearly identical insurance contracts should be arbitrated separately on a contract-by-contract basis or collectively in a consolidated arbitration.
Appellate Information
- Decided 06/12/2007
- Published 06/12/2007
Judges
- Before: SLOVITER and RENDELL, Circuit Judges, and RUFE, District Judge.
Court
- United States Third Circuit
Counsel
- For Appellant:
- Mary Ann D'Amato (Argued), Mendes & Mount, New York, NY, William S. Wachenfeld, Mendes & Mount. Newark, NJ, Attorneys for Appellants.
- For Appellees:
- Carter G. Phillips (Argued), Sidley Austin, Washington, DC, Daniel J. Neppl, Sidley Austin, Chicago, IL, Seth G. Park, Siegal, Napierkowski & Park, Mount Laurel, NJ, Attorneys for Appellee.