Publix Plan to Appeal Opioid Insurance Ruling Blocked by Judge

A Florida federal judge declined to clear the path for Publix Super Markets Inc. to appeal a ruling that underlying opioid-related suits are excluded by the grocer’s 2013 insurance policies because they didn’t allege bodily injury.

The final judgment requested by Publix is broader than the court’s previous ruling and not sufficiently supported by the record, Judge Charlene E. Honeywell of the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida said in a Dec. 6 order.

Publix sued several of its insurers—including units of Chubb Ltd. and Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.—in 2022, seeking declaratory judgment on their duty ...