134 N.J. 1 (1993) 629 A.2d 831 MORTON INTERNATIONAL, INC., SUCCESSOR TO MORTON THIOKOL, INC., NOW NAMED THIOKOL CORPORATION, PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT AND CROSS-RESPONDENT,
v.
GENERAL ACCIDENT INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, A PENNSYLVANIA CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR TO THE POTOMAC INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE UNITED STATES BRANCH OF GENERAL ACCIDENT FIRE AND LIFE ASSURANCE CORPORATION, LTD.); AFFILIATED FM INSURANCE COMPANY, A RHODE ISLAND CORPORATION; CONTINENTAL CASUALTY COMPANY, AN ILLINOIS CORPORATION; FIRST STATE INSURANCE COMPANY, A DELAWARE CORPORATION, DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS, AND LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, A MASSACHUSETTS CORPORATION; AMERICAN HOME ASSURANCE COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION; INSURANCE COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA, A PENNSYLVANIA CORPORATION; UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD'S LONDON, AND CERTAIN SUBSCRIBING LONDON MARKET INSURANCE COMPANIES, DEFENDANTS-RESPONDENTS AND CROSS-APPELLANTS, AND AETNA CASUALTY & SURETY COMPANY, A CONNECTICUT CORPORATION; AMERICAN CENTENNIAL INSURANCE CO., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; FIREMAN'S FUND INSURANCE COMPANY, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; GRANITE STATE INSURANCE COMPANY, A NEW HAMPSHIRE CORPORATION; THE HARTFORD ACCIDENT & INDEMNITY COMPANY, A CONNECTICUT CORPORATION; INSURANCE COMPANY OF THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, A PENNSYLVANIA CORPORATION; INTEGRITY INSURANCE COMPANY, A NEW JERSEY CORPORATION; INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY, AN ILLINOIS CORPORATION; LEXINGTON INSURANCE COMPANY, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MISSION INSURANCE COMPANY, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; MISSION NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF PITTSBURGH, A PENNSYLVANIA CORPORATION; AND NORTHBROOK INSURANCE COMPANY, AN ILLINOIS CORPORATION, DEFENDANTS. The Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Argued November 30, 1992. Decided July 21, 1993. *4 George F. Kugler, Jr., argued the cause for appellant and cross-respondent (Archer & Greiner, attorneys; Mr. Kugler, Edward C. Laird, and Gary J. Lesneski, on the briefs).
Elliott Abrutyn argued the cause for respondent General Accident Insurance Company of America (Morgan, Melhuish, Monaghan, Arvidson, Abrutyn & Lisowski, attorneys; Mr. Abrutyn and Timothy Saia, on the brief).
William S. Wachenfeld argued the cause for respondent Affiliated FM Insurance Company (Mendes & Mount, attorneys for Affiliated FM Insurance Company, and DeCotiis & Pinto, attorneys for First State Insurance Company; Mr. Wachenfeld, Rosemary *5 A. Juster, James A. Farber, and Robert F. Walsh, on the brief).
John C. Sullivan argued the cause for respondent and cross-appellant Liberty Mutual Insurance Company (Manta and Welge, attorneys).
Paul R. Koepff, a member of the New York Bar, argued the cause for respondents and cross-appellants Underwriters at Lloyd's London, and certain subscribing London Market Insurance Companies (Ronca, McDonald & Hanley, attorneys for Underwriters at Lloyd's London; Mudge, Rose, Guthrie, Alexander & Ferdon, attorneys for Insurance Company of North America; and Golden, Rothschild, Spagnola & DiFazio, attorneys for American Home Assurance Co.; Mr. Koepff, Robert J. Kovacs, Paul A. Leodori, W. Cary Edwards, Stephen V. Kovarik, and Charles W. Miller, III, of counsel).
Eugene R. Anderson, a member of the New York Bar, argued the cause for amicus curiae New Jersey State League of Municipalities (Stickel, Koenig & Sullivan and Anderson, Kill, Olick & Oshinsky, attorneys; Mr. Anderson, John A. MacDonald, Ralph J. Kmiec, and Michael A. Pane, of counsel; Mr. MacDonald and Fred G. Stickel, III, on the brief).
Richard F. Engel, Deputy Attorney General, argued the cause for amicus