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The International Criminal Court’s contract with French insurer AXA ended on 1 October 2026. The ICC said the decision was mutual but did not give a reason; Reuters, citing the Financial Times, reported that AXA had raised concerns about the risks of U.S. sanctions being applied beyond U.S. borders. Those are separate accounts: the sanctions explanation was not the reason stated by the ICC spokesperson.

What happened between the ICC and AXA?

The ICC’s contract with AXA ended effective 1 October 2026. The court said it would move to a new insurer, but Reuters reported that it did not identify the successor or explain why the contract ended. Reuters, republished by MarketScreener, quoted an ICC spokesperson saying: “AXA and the Court have decided by mutual agreement to terminate the contractual relationship.”

The court’s statement establishes how it characterized the termination, not the underlying reason. It did not publicly attribute the decision to sanctions in the quoted response.

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Did AXA leave because of U.S. sanctions?

That is the explanation attributed to AXA in press reporting, not the reason given by the ICC spokesperson. Reuters, citing the Financial Times, reported that AXA referred to “risks arising from the extraterritorial application of US sanctions.” It also reported that months of discussions about possible workarounds did not produce a solution without a so-called blocking statute. Reuters relayed AXA’s description of the case as complex and sensitive because of those risks.

Al Jazeera, also attributing the account to the Financial Times, described a blocking statute as a legal mechanism intended to protect European businesses from the effects of sanctions imposed by third countries. The reporting says no workable arrangement was reached; it does not establish that a court or regulator formally found AXA legally liable or ordered it to end the contract.

How can U.S. sanctions affect a European insurer?

Sanctions can create pressure beyond the United States when a company has U.S. business, financial, or other connections. A company may decide to limit exposure or comply with sanctions concerns to protect those relationships. That kind of corporate risk management—sometimes described as overcompliance—is distinct from a finding that a particular transaction is illegal.

Al Jazeera, citing the Wall Street Journal, reported that the ICC feared sanctions could affect transactions involving U.S. dollars. That is a reported concern, not a court ruling or a determination that every dollar transaction connected to the ICC would be blocked.

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What is the Trump administration’s dispute with the court?

Reuters described the contract ending against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s campaign against the ICC. It reported that the administration argues the court oversteps its authority by claiming jurisdiction over citizens of countries including the United States and Israel, neither of which has ratified the Rome Statute. That is the administration’s position as reported by Reuters, not an established legal finding about the court’s jurisdiction.

How have sanctions affected ICC judges and staff?

Georgia Public Broadcasting reported that, by August 2026, nine of the ICC’s 18 judges were under U.S. sanctions. In its interview with ICC judge Kimberly Prost, GPB described disruption to financial and technology services. Prost said, “We have this massive overcompliance by companies.”

Prost also said of AXA’s handling of her claims, “It’s a business decision.” Those comments describe her experience and view; they do not establish how AXA handled every claim or policy involving the court.

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Who is the ICC’s new insurer?

The ICC said it would move to another insurer, but the reporting reviewed for this article did not name the replacement provider or disclose the contract terms. The successor’s identity therefore remains unconfirmed in those reports.

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