Sunbeam Corp. v. Liberty Mutual Insurance

OPINION OF THE COURT

FLAHERTY, Chief Justice.

Appellant manufacturing corporations are insured by appellee insurance companies under comprehensive general liability policies. At issue is the insurers’ obligation to indemnify the manufacturers for the costs of cleaning up environmental pollution caused by the manufacturers. The insurance policies cover pollution if it was “sudden and accidental,” but not otherwise. The manufacturers maintain that according to the usage in the industry, those words mean “unexpected and unintended.” The trial court and Superior Court disagreed, holding that the…