About the Quigley Trust
Quigley Company, Inc. was a New York-based manufacturer of refractory and industrial products, best known for its Insulag brand of asbestos-containing furnace cements and mastics. Founded in the late nineteenth century, Quigley became a subsidiary of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. during the mid-twentieth century. In its capacity as a refractory products manufacturer, Quigley produced Insulag and related products for use in lining, sealing, and insulating the furnaces, ovens, and high-temperature industrial equipment found throughout the steel, foundry, chemical, and manufacturing industries. Insulag was a thick, paste-like refractory cement applied to furnace doors, oven seams, boiler settings, and other high-heat surfaces. Its formulations contained chrysotile and in some cases amosite asbestos, which provided the product with the extreme heat resistance demanded by industrial furnace applications.
Steelworkers and furnace operators who applied Insulag — or who worked in the vicinity of Insulag applications — were exposed to asbestos fibers released when the product was mixed, applied, allowed to dry and then cracked or chipped away, or when old Insulag was disturbed during furnace relining operations. In steel mills, where blast furnaces and open hearth furnaces required periodic relining, Insulag was commonly used as a sealant and patching compound. Workers who performed these relining operations — and maintenance workers who later repaired or inspected furnaces sealed with Insulag — faced significant and repeated asbestos exposure over the course of their careers in the steel industry. Foundry workers, boilermakers, and industrial plant maintenance workers who used Insulag in other applications faced similar risks.
Quigley Company, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2004. Because Quigley was a Pfizer subsidiary, the bankruptcy proceedings were notably complex — plaintiffs argued that Pfizer itself bore liability for Quigley's asbestos products, and the litigation over Pfizer's potential contribution to any trust was extensive and hard-fought. After years of proceedings, the Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos PI Trust was finally established in 2013. Pfizer contributed to the trust's funding as part of the negotiated resolution of claims against it as Quigley's parent. The trust began processing claims under its Trust Distribution Procedures at a 14.5% payment rate applied to scheduled values for each disease category.
Trust Fund Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Trust Name | Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos PI Trust |
| Predecessor Company | Quigley Company, Inc. (Pfizer subsidiary) |
| Bankruptcy Filing Year | 2004 (Chapter 11) |
| Year Trust Established | 2013 |
| Payment Percentage | 14.5% |
| Mesothelioma Scheduled Value | ~$310,000 |
| Mesothelioma Actual Payment | ~$44,950 (14.5% of scheduled value) |
| Claims Processor | Quigley Company Asbestos PI Trust |
| Claim Types Accepted | Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer, Asbestosis, Other Asbestos Disease |
| Primary Products | Insulag refractory cement and mastic; other asbestos-containing refractory compounds |
| Key Industries | Steel manufacturing, foundries, industrial furnace operations, boilermaking |
Pfizer Inc. contributed to the Quigley trust's funding as part of the bankruptcy resolution. The trust's 14.5% payment rate reflects the relationship between trust assets and the total estimated present and future claims. Quigley trust recoveries are commonly combined with claims against other trusts covering additional products used at steel and industrial worksites.
Who Is Eligible to File a Quigley Trust Claim
The Quigley Trust compensates individuals who were exposed to asbestos from Quigley Company's refractory products — principally Insulag — and who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or another qualifying asbestos-related disease. Workers in the steel and heavy industrial sectors are the primary claimant population, though the trust covers all verifiable exposures to Quigley products.
Occupations With High Quigley/Insulag Exposure Risk
- Steelworkers who applied Insulag to blast furnaces, open hearth furnaces, and electric arc furnaces
- Furnace operators and furnace relining crews at steel mills and foundries
- Boilermakers who applied Insulag or worked near its application on industrial boilers and furnaces
- Maintenance mechanics and millwrights at steel plants who repaired Insulag-sealed furnace components
- Refractory workers (bricklayers and refractory mechanics) who used Insulag as a furnace patching compound
- Foundry workers who applied Quigley refractory products in iron and steel foundry operations
- Industrial insulation workers who applied asbestos-containing insulation alongside Quigley refractory products
- Chemical plant workers who used Insulag to seal process furnaces and high-temperature equipment
- Cement plant and glass plant workers who used refractory products including Quigley formulations
- Shipyard workers who used Quigley refractory products on marine boilers and engine room equipment
- Power plant workers who applied Insulag to steam boiler settings and furnace door assemblies
Key Worksites
- Steel mills and integrated steel plants throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and other steel-producing states
- Iron and steel foundries
- Industrial chemical processing plants
- Power generating stations with coal-fired and oil-fired boilers
- Naval and commercial shipyards
- Glass manufacturing plants
- Cement production facilities
- Oil refineries and petrochemical plants with high-temperature furnace equipment
Exposure Timeframe
Quigley manufactured and sold asbestos-containing Insulag and related refractory products from the early twentieth century through the 1970s, with some formulations remaining in use into the early 1980s. Workers who applied or worked near Insulag during this period are at risk of asbestos-related disease. Because mesothelioma has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, workers exposed during the height of Insulag use in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are commonly receiving diagnoses today.
Qualifying Diagnoses
- Mesothelioma (pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial)
- Lung cancer with a documented history of asbestos exposure
- Asbestosis confirmed by appropriate medical evaluation
- Other asbestos-related diseases as defined in the Trust Distribution Procedures
How to File a Claim With the Quigley Trust
Filing with the Quigley Trust follows the standard asbestos trust claim process. Because the trust has been operational since 2013, procedures are well-established. Here is how the process works:
- Retain a mesothelioma attorney as soon as possible after diagnosis. All asbestos attorneys handle these cases on contingency — you pay nothing unless you recover. An attorney will assess your Quigley claim and identify all other trusts and civil lawsuit options based on your full work history.
- Document your exposure to Insulag or other Quigley products. Your attorney will need to establish that you worked with or around Quigley's asbestos-containing refractory products. Useful evidence includes employment records from steel mills or foundries, union membership records, work orders or plant maintenance records identifying Insulag by name, and affidavits from co-workers who can confirm the products used.
- Gather your complete medical records. A confirmed pathology report diagnosing mesothelioma or another qualifying asbestos disease is the essential foundation of the claim. Your attorney will collect all diagnostic and treatment records and may arrange for consultation with an asbestos disease specialist.
- Compile employment and work history documentation. Social Security earnings records, union dispatch and pension records, employer records from steel mills and foundries, and co-worker affidavits all help establish the scope and nature of your asbestos exposure at Insulag-using facilities.
- Your attorney prepares and files the complete claim package. All required forms, medical evidence, and exposure documentation are compiled and submitted to the Quigley Asbestos PI Trust on your behalf. Your attorney handles all communications with the trust.
- The trust processes and evaluates your claim. The trust applies its Trust Distribution Procedures — verifying medical eligibility and exposure criteria, assigning the disease category and scheduled value, and calculating the payment at 14.5% of the applicable scheduled value. Expedited review may be available for patients with terminal mesothelioma.
- Accept or contest the payment offer. The trust's payment offer for mesothelioma at the current 14.5% rate is approximately $44,950 based on a $310,000 scheduled value. You and your attorney will evaluate whether to accept or request individual review for a potentially higher amount in appropriate cases.
Can You File Other Claims in Addition to a Quigley Claim?
Absolutely, and for steel and industrial workers, pursuing every available claim is essential to maximizing total compensation. Steelworkers and furnace operators who used Quigley Insulag encountered asbestos from many other sources during their careers. Steel mills were among the most heavily asbestos-contaminated industrial environments in American history. In addition to Insulag, workers were regularly exposed to asbestos insulation on steam pipes and boilers, asbestos-containing refractory brick and castables from many manufacturers, asbestos gaskets in high-temperature piping systems, and asbestos in many other plant materials.
Many of the companies that supplied these asbestos-containing products to steel mills have their own asbestos trusts — including trusts established by insulation manufacturers, gasket manufacturers, refractory manufacturers, and industrial product suppliers. An experienced asbestos attorney who represents steelworkers and industrial plant workers will have deep knowledge of which trusts apply to workers from specific mills and which companies' products were standard in the steel industry during the relevant decades.
Civil lawsuits against solvent defendants — companies that supplied asbestos products to steel mills and have not filed for bankruptcy — are also available in many steel worker cases and can yield significant additional compensation beyond trust fund recoveries. Pfizer, as Quigley's former parent, was heavily involved in the Quigley bankruptcy proceedings, though the trust was structured to address Pfizer's liability through its contribution. An attorney will evaluate all aspects of your exposure history and pursue every available recovery avenue on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Quigley Company, Inc. Asbestos PI Trust is the asbestos bankruptcy trust established in 2013 following Quigley's 2004 Chapter 11 filing. Pfizer Inc., Quigley's former parent company, contributed to the trust's funding as part of the resolution of claims that Pfizer bore responsibility for Quigley's asbestos liabilities. The trust compensates individuals who developed mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or other asbestos diseases from exposure to Quigley's Insulag and related refractory products used in steel and industrial furnace applications.
Insulag was Quigley's brand name for a line of refractory cements and mastics used to seal, insulate, and patch industrial furnaces, ovens, and boilers. Insulag products contained chrysotile and sometimes amosite asbestos, which gave the material its exceptional heat resistance in the extreme temperatures of steel furnaces and industrial equipment. The asbestos content made Insulag hazardous during mixing, application, drying, and especially during repair or removal work when dried Insulag was chipped, broken, or ground, releasing fine airborne asbestos fibers.
Many steelworkers know that refractory cements and mastics were used at their facilities but cannot recall specific brand names. Insulag was one of the most widely used refractory mastic products in American steel mills, and an experienced attorney can research whether Insulag was used at your specific plant and time period. Product specifications, maintenance records, and co-worker testimony can often establish Insulag use even where the individual worker did not track product brand names. Do not assume you cannot file simply because you are uncertain of the exact brand.
The Quigley bankruptcy was unusually protracted because of the contested question of Pfizer's liability as Quigley's parent company. Asbestos plaintiffs' attorneys argued aggressively that Pfizer — a major solvent corporation — should bear substantial liability for Quigley's asbestos products and contribute accordingly to the trust. Pfizer disputed the extent of its liability. The litigation over Pfizer's contribution was lengthy and resulted in a negotiated resolution that funded the trust while limiting Pfizer's further exposure. The trust was finally established in 2013, nine years after the initial 2004 bankruptcy filing.
Evidence supporting Insulag exposure at steel mill worksites can include: employment records showing you worked at a specific mill during the period when Insulag was in use; union pension and dispatch records; purchase records or product specifications from the mill showing Insulag was a standard material; affidavits from co-workers who confirm Insulag use; and your attorney's research into which products were standard at specific steel mills in specific regions and time periods. Your attorney has experience building exposure cases for steel industry workers and will guide you through this process.
State statutes of limitations apply, typically one to three years from the date of mesothelioma or asbestos disease diagnosis or from the date you knew or should have known your illness was asbestos-related. Because the Quigley trust has been operational since 2013, its procedures are well-established, but deadlines are strictly enforced. Contact an asbestos attorney immediately after a diagnosis to ensure your rights are protected and your claim is filed on time.