Axa to appeal Paris court ruling over pandemic payouts

French insurer Axa will appeal a Paris commercial court ruling ordering it to pay five restaurant owners who had to close during coronavirus lockdowns. Axa has been in the centre of a countrywide row over whether insurers must honour policies as businesses were forced to shut during lockdown. The insurance giant has won a number of cases on the basis that its policy coverage did not include Covid-19 pandemic protection. However, one restaurant owner secured an early victory against Axa in May, leading him to a settlement with the insurer, Reuters reported. Axa is in negotiation wit...