What Are the Largest Asbestos Trust Funds?
The largest asbestos trust funds include the Johns-Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust (approximately $2.5 billion), the Celotex Asbestos Settlement Trust, the Owens Corning/Fibreboard Trust, and the USG Asbestos Personal Injury Trust. Together, the more than 60 active asbestos trust funds hold over $30 billion in assets designated for current and future claimants.
Major Asbestos Trust Funds
Asbestos trust funds were created through bankruptcy proceedings when companies facing overwhelming asbestos liability reorganized under Chapter 11. Each trust was funded with company assets and structured to pay current and future mesothelioma and asbestos disease claimants. The largest trusts include the Johns-Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust, one of the oldest and largest, established in 1988 with billions in assets. Other major trusts include the Celotex Asbestos Settlement Trust, the Owens Corning/Fibreboard Trust, the USG Asbestos Personal Injury Trust, the W.R. Grace Trust, and the Armstrong World Industries Trust.
Each trust was funded based on estimates of future claims and the company's available assets at the time of bankruptcy. Some trusts are well-funded and continue to pay claims at high percentages of their scheduled values, while others have adjusted their payment percentages downward to ensure funds remain available for future claimants.
How Trust Fund Size Affects Payments
The size of a trust fund directly influences its payment percentage — the portion of the scheduled claim value that is actually paid. Larger, well-funded trusts may pay 25% or more of scheduled values, while smaller trusts may pay lower percentages. However, even lower payment percentages can result in meaningful compensation because scheduled values for mesothelioma claims are typically set at premium levels reflecting the severity of the disease.
Payment percentages are reviewed periodically by the trust and its oversight committees to balance current payments with the need to reserve funds for future claimants. An experienced attorney monitors these adjustments to time claims strategically.
Filing Claims with Multiple Trusts
Most mesothelioma patients were exposed to asbestos products from multiple manufacturers over the course of their careers. This means you may be eligible to file claims with multiple trust funds simultaneously. An experienced mesothelioma attorney identifies which trusts apply to your specific exposure history and files claims with all of them to maximize your total recovery.
The cumulative compensation from multiple trust fund claims, combined with any lawsuit settlements or verdicts, can provide substantial financial support for patients and their families.
Funds Are Still Available
Despite decades of paying claims, asbestos trust funds collectively still hold over $30 billion in assets. New claims continue to be filed and processed every year, and the trusts remain a vital source of compensation for mesothelioma patients. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed, these funds are available to you regardless of when your exposure occurred.
Contact an experienced mesothelioma attorney to determine which trust funds are relevant to your case and begin the claims process.
- $30+ billion — total estimated assets remaining across all active asbestos trust funds
- 60+ trusts — more than 60 asbestos trust funds are currently accepting claims
- Johns-Manville — the largest single trust with approximately $2.5 billion in assets
- Multiple claims — patients may be eligible to file with several trusts based on their exposure history
Reviewed by: Paul Danziger, J.D. — Texas Bar — 30+ years mesothelioma litigation
Last updated: March 15, 2026
Sources: Government Accountability Office (GAO) — Asbestos Trust Report, RAND Institute for Civil Justice
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