Albert v. Truck Ins. Exch.

232 Cal. Rptr. 3d 774, 23 Cal. App. 5th 367
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedMay 15, 2018
DocketB278295
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 232 Cal. Rptr. 3d 774 (Albert v. Truck Ins. Exch.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Albert v. Truck Ins. Exch., 232 Cal. Rptr. 3d 774, 23 Cal. App. 5th 367 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

SEGAL, J.

*371INTRODUCTION

Good fences make good neighbors. Unless they obstruct an easement.

Shelly Albert's neighbor, Henri Baccouche, sued her for "abatement of private nuisance," alleging Albert had erected and refused to remove a fence that partially blocked the only road leading to Baccouche's undeveloped property. Albert tendered Baccouche's complaint to her homeowners and umbrella insurers, but each declined to provide a defense. Albert first sued her homeowners insurer for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, but the trial court and the Court of Appeal in that action determined there was no potential for coverage under the policy.

Albert then sued her umbrella insurer, Truck Insurance Exchange, in this action for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. The trial court granted Truck's motion for summary judgment. Albert appeals, arguing the complaint in the underlying action created a potential for coverage under the umbrella policy's "personal injury" coverage for "injury arising out of ... wrongful entry ... or invasion of the right of private occupancy."

We agree with cases from California and other jurisdictions that "invasion of the right of private occupancy" is ambiguous and may include non-physical invasions of rights in real property. We disagree with one California case, Sterling Builders, Inc. v. United Nat. Ins. Co. (2000) 79 Cal.App.4th 105, 93 Cal.Rptr.2d 697 ( Sterling Builders ), which relied on part of the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of "invasion" to hold a covered claim must involve "physical occupation of or trespass" on real property. ( Id. at p. 108, 93 Cal.Rptr.2d 697.) Therefore, because there was a potential for coverage under Albert's umbrella policy, we reverse.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The Policy

Albert's umbrella policy with Truck provided: "We will ... pay damages caused by an occurrence in excess of the retained limit on the insured's behalf." The policy defined "retained limit" as the greater of "the total limits of liability of any underlying insurance providing coverage for damages as *372the result of an occurrence" or $1,000. The policy further provided: "If underlying insurance does not cover damages covered by this policy, we will pay damages which exceed [$250]." *778Because Albert's homeowners policy did not include coverage for personal injury, the umbrella policy's personal injury provision provided coverage for damages from personal injury that exceeded $250.1 In addition to providing indemnification for damages, Truck agreed to "defend any insured for any claim or suit that is covered by this insurance but not covered by other insurance."

The policy's definition of "Damages" included "the total of damages that the insured must pay ... because of ... personal injury ... caused by an occurrence covered by this policy."2 "[W]ith regard to personal injury," "occurrence" was defined as "offenses committed during the policy period, even if the resulting injury takes place after the policy expires." Finally, the policy's definition of personal injury included "injury arising out of ... wrongful eviction, wrongful entry, or invasion of the right of private occupancy."

B. The Underlying Action

Baccouche filed his complaint in the underlying action during the umbrella policy period. Baccouche alleged that a 400-foot long, 26-foot wide private road provided the only access to his property from any public road. The private road straddled the property line separating two of Baccouche's neighbors, so that each neighbor owned half (i.e., 13 feet) of the road from the center of the road. Albert owned one half of the road and the other neighbor (who is not a party to this action) owned the other half. Baccouche alleged that he had an easement over the road, giving him access to his property, but that Albert erected and refused to remove a fence that obstructed the easement and precluded Baccouche from using the half of the road on Albert's property.

*373Specifically, Baccouche alleged Albert "erected a permanent chain-link fence on certain portions of her property that were subject to a reciprocal easement as a private roadway for ingress and egress," which "constitutes a nuisance within the meaning of Civil Code Section 3479 in that it ... interfere[s] with the comfortable enjoyment by plaintiff of his property, including access thereto." Instead of using a 26-foot wide road, Baccouche could only access his property using a 13-foot wide road. He sought damages including the "diminishment in value" of his property. Albert points to these allegations as the basis for potential coverage under the personal injury provision of the umbrella policy, and hence the duty to defend.3

*779C. The Tenders

Albert tendered Baccouche's complaint to Mid-Century Insurance Company, which issued her homeowners policy, and to Truck. Mid-Century denied the claim, stating it did not owe Albert a "defense or indemnity obligation" under the homeowners policy.

Three years later, Albert re-tendered the complaint to Truck.4 Counsel for Truck responded by denying Truck had a duty to defend or indemnify Albert under the umbrella policy. Counsel for Truck wrote there was "no potentiality that [Baccouche's] claims can be brought within the insurance coverage provided by" the umbrella policy because, according to Truck, "all of the claims of Mr. Baccouche occurred prior to the first effective date of the" policy. Counsel for Truck discussed the allegations in Baccouche's complaint that, prior to the effective date of the umbrella policy, Albert had damaged Baccouche's trees and trespassed on his property. Counsel for Truck did not mention Baccouche's allegation that, during the policy period, Albert impeded his access to his property by maintaining the fence on the easement.

Counsel for Albert responded to Truck's denial letter and pointed out that Baccouche's complaint alleged Albert "had erected and continued to maintain a chain-link fence on property subject to a reciprocal easement," which "constituted a nuisance," and that Baccouche sought damages "for the diminished value of his real property and emotional distress." Counsel for Truck responded by "disagree[ing] with [the] assertion" that "the erection of *374the fence and the maintenance of the fence on the easement was a 'wrongful eviction, wrongful entry or invasion of the right of private occupancy.' " Counsel for Truck stated that "Ms.

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Bluebook (online)
232 Cal. Rptr. 3d 774, 23 Cal. App. 5th 367, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/albert-v-truck-ins-exch-calctapp5d-2018.