Product manufacturers looking to recover insurance coverage for disputes stemming from allegedly defective products must base their claims solely on the plain language of the policies and the underlying products liability complaint—and may not look to outside factors—a federal appeals court has ruled, applying Pennsylvania case law.

A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Friday rejected an aluminum parts manufacturer’s argument that courts look at the facts pleaded in a complaint when considering whether carriers should indemnify them.