Ad Adver. Design, Inc. v. Sentinel Ins. Co.

344 F. Supp. 3d 1175
CourtDistrict Court, D. Montana
DecidedSeptember 26, 2018
DocketCV 17-140-BLG-TJC
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 344 F. Supp. 3d 1175 (Ad Adver. Design, Inc. v. Sentinel Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Montana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ad Adver. Design, Inc. v. Sentinel Ins. Co., 344 F. Supp. 3d 1175 (D. Mont. 2018).

Opinion

TIMOTHY J. CAVAN, United States Magistrate Judge

Plaintiff Ad Advertising Design, Inc., doing business as Ad Creative ("Ad Design") filed this action against Defendant Sentinel Insurance Company, Limited ("Sentinel") seeking declaratory judgment that a business owners' policy issued by Sentinel provides coverage for monetary losses Ad Design suffered as a result of a fraudulent email scheme. (Doc. 16.)

Presently before the Court are Ad Design's Motion for Summary Judgment, and Sentinel's Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment.1 (Docs. 17, 31.) The motions are fully briefed and ripe for the Court's review.

Having considered the parties' submissions, the Court finds Ad Design's Motion for Summary Judgment should be GRANTED in part , and Sentinel's Motion for Summary Judgment should be DENIED in part .

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background 2

Sentinel issued a Business Owner's Policy to Ad Design, Policy No. 41 SBA FV3465 SC, which was valid for the period 2/15/2016 to 2/15/2017 (the "Policy"). Ad Design was the victim of a fraudulent email scheme between September 15, 2016 and October 6, 2016. On four occasions during that period April Logulo, Operations Manager at Ad Design, received an email purportedly from Ad Design's president, Eric Finstad. The emails requested that electronic payments in the amount of $31,832.00, $24,376.00, $28,746.00, and $30,642.00, respectively, be sent to a designated bank account. Believing the emails were legitimate and the requests were to satisfy a vendor, Ms. Logulo submitted written requests to Western Security Bank to transfer the money out of Ad Design's account to the designated bank account. The total amount transferred in the four transactions was $115,595.00. After the fourth payment, Ad Design determined the emails from Mr. Finstad were fraudulent. Unfortunately, Ad Design was not able to recover any of the money.

Ad Design filed a claim with Sentinel seeking coverage for the loss of the money. On September 6, 2017, Sentinel denied the claim, finding the Policy excluded coverage under a "False Pretense" exclusion.

*1178B. Procedural Background

On September 11, 2017, Ad Design filed the instant action in the Montana Thirteenth Judicial District Court, Yellowstone County, Montana, seeking a declaration that the Policy provides coverage for its claim. (Doc. 1.) On October 20, 2017, Sentinel removed the case to federal court based on diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1441(b). (Id. ) On December 28, 2017, Ad Design filed an Amended Complaint. (Doc. 16.) The Amended Complaint seeks "a declaration that the Policy provides coverage for the four forgery occurrences described herein," and for a judgment that "Sentinel is obligated under the policy to pay benefits according to the terms and conditions of the policy, less applicable deductibles." (Doc. 16 at 3-4). The Amended Complaint also requests attorney fees and costs, together with prejudgment interest. Id. at 4.

On January 8, 2018, Ad Design filed a motion for summary judgment on the issue of whether there is insurance coverage for its loss under the Policy. (Doc. 17.) Ad Design asserts its claim is covered under the Monies and Securities, Forgery and Computer Fraud Coverages in the Policy. Ad Design further argues that the "False Pretense" exclusion in the policy does not apply because that exclusion is limited to physical losses. Ad Design asserts the loss of money from its bank account was not a physical loss. Finally, Ad Design asserts that the amount of the loss covered under the policy is $80,000.00. Nevertheless, it contends to be entitled to recover the full amount of its loss, $115,596.00, because Sentinel breached the insurance contract.

On April 6, 2018, Sentinel filed a cross-motion for summary judgment, seeking a ruling that the False Pretense exclusion in the Policy precludes coverage. (Doc. 31.) Sentinel argues Ad Design physically lost money that it was induced to voluntarily part with by a fraudulent scheme. Sentinel further argues that if Ad Design's loss is not considered to be a physical loss, then the loss falls wholly outside the Policy, which only covers physical loss or physical damage. Sentinel also argues that the Money and Securities, Forgery, and Computer Fraud provisions do not provide coverage for Ad Design's loss. Finally, Sentinel asserts that even if the loss is covered, the covered loss would be limited to $20,000.00.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Summary Judgment Standard

"The court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). Material facts are those which may affect the outcome of the case. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A dispute as to a material fact is genuine if there is sufficient evidence for a reasonable fact-finder to return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Id.

As noted, the Court's jurisdiction over this action is based on diversity of citizenship. Thus, the Court must apply the substantive law of Montana. Medical Laboratory Mgmt. Consultants v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. , 306 F.3d 806, 812 (9th Cir. 2002). In Montana, the interpretation of an insurance contract is a question of law. Scentry Biologicals, Inc. v. Mid-Continent Cas. Co. , 374 Mont. 18, 319 P.3d 1260, 1264 (2014). A court interpreting an insurance policy is to read the policy as a whole and, to the extent possible, reconcile the policy's various parts to give each meaning and effect. O'Connell v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co. , 43 F.Supp.3d 1093, 1096 (D. Mont. 2014) (citing

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Bluebook (online)
344 F. Supp. 3d 1175, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ad-adver-design-inc-v-sentinel-ins-co-mtd-2018.