Allied Mutual Casualty Co. v. Askerud

94 N.W.2d 534, 254 Minn. 156, 1959 Minn. LEXIS 536
CourtSupreme Court of Minnesota
DecidedJanuary 9, 1959
Docket37,533
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 94 N.W.2d 534 (Allied Mutual Casualty Co. v. Askerud) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allied Mutual Casualty Co. v. Askerud, 94 N.W.2d 534, 254 Minn. 156, 1959 Minn. LEXIS 536 (Mich. 1959).

Opinion

Murphy, Justice.

This is an action by an insurer for an injunction and a declaratory judgment as to its duties and liabilities under two insurance policies in respect to a personal injury suit which is now pending against the insured.

A summary of the facts as they appear in the record shows that Harry Askerud, the insured, and LaVerne Turvold, a close friend, had an oral understanding that they would combine their efforts in so far as labor was concerned to construct a house on property which the insured owned adjacent to his home near Austin, Minnesota. Both men were employed full-time at the George A. Hormel Company plant in Austin and planned to work on the house in their spare time. The construction was financed by the insured and his wife by mortgaging the property. The insured and Turvold intended that when the house was completed Turvold would purchase it providing he could obtain the necessary financing, in which event he would pay the insured the value of the lot, all costs incurred in the construction, and a reasonable *158 sum for the value of the insured’s labor.

There is evidence that in the event Turvold could not obtain financing the insured planned to sell his own home and move into the new one; it does not appear that there ever was any intention to sell the home on the open market. In carrying on the project, the insured and Turvold employed various persons from time to time for wages, although they did most of the work themselves. The insured purchased the two insurance policies in question on May 4, 1955, from an agent of plaintiff who had his desk in the office of the building and loan association which financed the construction.

On October 22, 1955, Haakon Askerud, the father of the insured, was injured by the collapse of the scaffolding on which he was standing while assisting in shingling the roof of the new house. The father resided in Rochester, Minnesota, approximately 40 miles from Austin. Some years before he had lost his right arm below the elbow in a combine accident. From the evidence it appears that he occasionally visited his son in Austin, and on three or four occasions assisted his son on varying tasks. He did not come to Austin on any prearrangement to work or at any agreed times, nor was he ever paid for his labors. The plaintiff company by this action seeks a declaration of its duties and liabilities growing out of the injuries sustained by the insured’s father.

The trial court concluded that the accident was not covered by either policy and that, therefore, the insurer was not obligated to defend the personal injury action. It entered judgment accordingly, and this appeal is taken from that judgment. Such further facts as may be necessary to an understanding of the issues will be discussed in connection with our examination of various provisions of the policies.

The “General Liability Policy,” by a typewritten insertion, described the business of the insured as “Building his own Private Residence.” The policy contained the following insurance agreement:

“Coverage A. Bodily Injury Liability. To pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become , legally obligated to pay as damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury, sickness or disease, including death at any time resulting therefrom, sustained by any person or persons, caused by accident and *159 arising out of the hazards hereinafter defined.”

The hazards defined in the policy are described in this language: “Premises — Operations. The ownership, maintenance or use of the premises, and all operations during the policy period which are necessary or incidental thereto.” Under the declarations of the policy the “operations” appear to be more particularly described by a typewritten insertion as:

“Carpentry in the construction of detached private residences for occupancy by one or two families, including installation of interior trim, builders’ finish, cabinet work and the construction of private garages in connection with such structures.”

The plaintiff company denies liability on the ground that the construction of a dwelling does not fall within the division of hazards as contemplated by the insuring agreements. In discussing the provisions with reference to “Premises — Operations,” plaintiff company argues that the risk is not insured, because (a) the house was being built for resale at a profit and (b) the insured was engaged in a joint venture with his neighbor, LaVerne Turvold, and it asserts:

“* * * The voluntary expansion of these operations by the insured without seeking endorsement by the plaintiff, or even notifying the plaintiff, cannot operate to extend coverage to such expanded operations.”

It should be kept in mind that the record establishes that this policy was purchased in the insurance department of the budding and loan association which financed the budding of the home. The agent was fudy aware that the plaintiff was seeking insurance for liability, not upon premises on which he was living but upon premises on which a budding was under construction. The insured told the agent that he wanted “fud coverage on the house” and that he wanted “a complete ad around coverage.” In expressing the nature of the insured’s business, the podcy describes it as “Budding his own Private Residence,” and in the classification of the risk set forth in the declarations the “Premises— Operations” definitely refer to the “construction of detached private residences.”

*160 It appears satisfactorily from the record that the insurance company was aware of the fact that the insured “wanted liability coverage on anything that was going on on the project.” It further appears that the typewritten clauses inserted in the policy are descriptive of the nature of the premises and recognize that the risks insured are those inherent in the construction of a building. Accordingly, it cannot be fairly said that the insurance company was misled by the insured or that the insured expanded operations on the premises beyond the extent contemplated when the policy was issued. In any event the record satisfactorily establishes that at the time the insurance policy was taken out there was no binding agreement between the insured and Turvold for a sale of the house under construction. It was certainly never intended that the house be placed on the open market for sale. There was no enforceable agreement between the insured and Turvold for the transfer of the title to the house. It was the obvious intent of the policy to cover the premises on which the insured was engaged in building a house, and the insured believed he was receiving a “complete all around coverage” for liability in connection with the project.

This construction of the policy is consonant with the rule that, where the language of the policy is that selected by the insurer, any reasonable doubt as to its meaning must be resolved in favor of the insured. 9 Dunnell, Dig. (3 ed.) § 4659. In Weum v. Mutual Benefit Health & Acc. Assn. 237 Minn. 89, 105, 54 N. W. (2d) 20, 29, we held:

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Bluebook (online)
94 N.W.2d 534, 254 Minn. 156, 1959 Minn. LEXIS 536, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allied-mutual-casualty-co-v-askerud-minn-1959.