Axis Surplus Insurance v. Contravest Construction Co.

921 F. Supp. 2d 1338, 2012 WL 2048303, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77489
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJune 5, 2012
DocketNo. 6:11-cv-320-Orl-28DAB
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 921 F. Supp. 2d 1338 (Axis Surplus Insurance v. Contravest Construction Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Axis Surplus Insurance v. Contravest Construction Co., 921 F. Supp. 2d 1338, 2012 WL 2048303, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77489 (M.D. Fla. 2012).

Opinion

[1341]*1341ORDER

JOHN ANTOON II, District Judge.

In this declaratory judgment action, Plaintiff Axis Surplus Insurance Company (“Axis”) seeks a declaration that it has no duty to defend or indemnify Defendants Contravest Construction Company and Contravest, Inc. (“the Insureds”) in an underlying suit brought against the Insureds by Defendant The Crest at Waterford Lakes Condominium Association, Inc. (“the Association”). (Am. Compl., Doc. 9). In turn, the Insureds have filed a Counterclaim against Axis and a Second Amended Third-Party Complaint (“Third-Party Complaint”) (Doc. 121) against several other insurers, seeking a declaration regarding the various insurers’ obligations to defend and indemnify the Insureds in conjunction with the underlying suit and, relatedly, the appropriate trigger for coverage with respect to the policies at issue. (Countercl. & Third-Party Compl., Doc. 121, at 11-13). Two of those Third-Party insurers-Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company (“Amerisure”) and Great American Insurance Company (“Great American”)-have moved to dismiss1 the Third-Party Complaint for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction, asserting that Contravest has not presented a justiciable issue.2

As discussed below, Axis’s motion will be denied and the Insureds’ and the Association’s cross-motions will be granted because Axis has a duty to defend the Insureds in the underlying suit. Additionally, Amerisure’s motion and Great American’s motion will be granted because the Insureds have not presented a justiciable issue as to those parties.

I. Background

In the underlying suit, the Association brought claims against the Insureds for alleged “negligent construction and development of the individual dwelling units and common areas of The Crest at Waterford Lakes Condominium community” (“the Subject Property”). (Underlying Compl., Doc. 9-1, ¶ 1). Due to this negligence, the Subject Property allegedly sustained severe damage, including damage caused by water intrusion. (Id. ¶ 28). The Association alleged that the defects were not readily discoverable by the Association or its members through reasonable inspection at the time of purchase and that the Association’s members only became aware of the defects through the retention of construction experts. (Id. ¶ 30). Additionally, in the documents attached to the Underlying Complaint,3 the Association states that it was prompted to retain construction [1342]*1342experts by unit owner complaints and observations at the Subject Property. (Exs. A & B to Underlying Compl.). Experts inspected the premises and provided reports on August 26, 2008, (Ex. A to Underlying Compl.), September 20, 2008, (Ex. B to Underlying Compl.), and September 15, 2008, (Ex. C to Underlying Compl.). In each of these reports, the experts disclosed the existence of property damage.

Axis issued four commercial general liability (“CGL”) policies to the Insureds beginning on July 21, 2003 and continuing through July 21, 2007, each lasting one year. (Am. Compl. ¶ 14; Countercl. at 9). Axis is currently defending the Insureds in the underlying suit based on the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 policies under a reservation of rights. (Am. Compl. ¶ 15). Axis denied coverage under the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 policies. (Id). Amerisure issued a CGL policy to the Insureds effective from March 15, 2003 through September 22, 2003,4 (Amerisure Policy, Doc. 137-2, at 2),5 and is currently participating in the defense of the underlying suit under a reservation of rights, (Amerisure Mot. for Summ. J., Doc. 137, at 4; Insureds’ Resp. to Amerisure Mot., Doc. 141, at 4). Unlike Axis, however, Amerisure has not sought a judgment from this Court declaring that it has no duty to defend or indemnify the Insureds. Finally, Great American issued five excess commercial liability policies6 to the Insureds, each effective for one year beginning on February 17, 1997 and continuing through February 17, 2002. (Great American Mot. to Dismiss, Doc. 125, at 3; Third-Party Compl. at 10; Great American Policy No. UMB 9-01-47-89-00, Doc. 125-1, at 3; Great American Policy No. UMB 9-01-47-89-01, Doc. 125-2, at 3).7 Great American is not currently participating in the defense of the underlying suit, (see Great American Mot. to Dismiss at 11), and has not sought a declaration as to its obligations under its policies.

II. Justiciability

In the Third-Party Complaint, the Insureds allege that all of the insurers named therein have issued reservations of rights regarding their duties to defend and indemnify the Insureds in the underlying suit and have taken inconsistent positions regarding the issues of coverage and the trigger for coverage. Specifically, the Insureds assert that there are four potential trigger theories and that there is disagreement and uncertainty in Florida law as to which trigger theory applies. According to the Insureds, the various insurers have latched on to this uncertainty and each insurer has adopted the trigger theory that is most beneficial to it. The Insureds have also expressed that they are unable to proceed with settlement negotiations in the underlying suit due to the uncertainty of what insurance coverage they will have and are concerned that ultimately these inconsistent positions will leave them “holding the bag,” so to speak, without any insurance coverage. To resolve these concerns, the Insureds seek a judgment declaring the following: (1) each insurer’s obligation to defend the Insureds in the [1343]*1343underlying suit; (2) each insurer’s obligation to indemnify the Insureds regarding the underlying suit; (3) the appropriate trigger for coverage with respect to the policies at issue; and (4) the obligation of the insurers pursuant to section 627.428, Florida Statutes to pay attorneys’ fees incurred by the Insureds in filing this declaratory action. (Third-Party Compl. at 13).

Amerisure and Great American, however, assert that despite the Insureds’ concerns, there is not a justiciable controversy between the Insureds and Amerisure or Great American. Amerisure contends that it has not yet denied any coverage to the Insureds and therefore no actual case or controversy exists between the Insureds. Great American, as an excess insurer, notes that its obligations, if any, are contingent and have not yet arisen. While the Court sympathizes with the Insureds, their concerns are not sufficient to create a justiciable controversy between them and Amerisure or Great American, and therefore the Third-Party Complaint must be dismissed as to Amerisure and Great American for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.

A. Legal Framework

“The federal courts are confined by Article III of the Constitution to adjudicating only actual ‘cases’ and ‘controversies.’ ” Malowney v. Fed. Collection Deposit Grp., 193 F.3d 1342, 1346 (11th Cir.1999) (quoting Allen v. Wright, 468 U.S. 737, 750, 104 S.Ct. 3315, 82 L.Ed.2d 556 (1984)). In recognition of this limitation, the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201

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921 F. Supp. 2d 1338, 2012 WL 2048303, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 77489, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/axis-surplus-insurance-v-contravest-construction-co-flmd-2012.