Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company v. Melissa Adair

181 So. 3d 1033, 2014 Ala. LEXIS 161, 2014 WL 4851516
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedSeptember 30, 2014
Docket1100872
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 181 So. 3d 1033 (Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company v. Melissa Adair) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company v. Melissa Adair, 181 So. 3d 1033, 2014 Ala. LEXIS 161, 2014 WL 4851516 (Ala. 2014).

Opinions

MURDOCK, Justice.1

Baldwin Mutual Insurance Company (“BMIC”) appeals from an order of the Calhoun Circuit Court modifying a previous order granting BMIC injunctive relief. We reverse and remand.

I. Facts and Procedural History

On December 2, 2010, BMIC filed an “Application for Temporary Restraining Order, Motion for a Preliminary Injunction and Complaint for Declaratory Judgment” (“the complaint”) in the Baldwin Circuit Court against 122 individuals who were insured under various insurance policies issued by BMIC (“the insureds”).2 According to the complaint, the insureds, through their legal counsel, had sent a letter dated November 12, 2010, to BMIC. The November 2010 letter stated:

“On behalf of each of our clients listed on the attached, please know that we invoke the appraisal provision contained within the Baldwin Mutual policies issued to these insureds for each loss or claim suffered previously. We hereby identify Samantha Ronquille-Green as our appraiser, and insist that you identify your appraiser within the time specified in the policies [i.e., 20 days]. Obviously, we are only seeking appraisal of claims for which there is prior coverage.”

The letter also requested that BMIC provide the insureds’ counsel with a copy of the policy file for each of the insureds, and the letter accused BMIC of “bad faith” as to its treatment of the insureds.

According to BMIC’s complaint, the various insurance policies at issue provided that BMIC or an insured could invoke an appraisal process if BMIC and the insured [1035]*1035could not reach an agreement as to the amount of compensation due the insured for a loss covered under the insured’s policy. The appraisal process entailed BMIC and the insured each choosing an appraiser to estimate the insured’s loss, and the appraisers in turn choosing an umpire who would resolve differences in the loss estimates provided by the appraisers. BMIC alleged:

“11. Under each of the appraisal provisions ,, a condition precedent to the demand of an appraisal is that there be a disagreement as to the amount of the loss.
“12. The November 12, 2010 letter, by which the [insureds] demand appraisal, fails to satisfy this condition precedent, as the [insureds] fail to establish that there is a disagreement as to the amount of the loss.
“13. Specifically, the purported appraisal demand fails to set forth, among other things, the date of the loss, the cause of the loss, the location of the loss, any specifics concerning the nature of the loss, or why the [insureds] assert that there is a disagreement as to the amount of the loss.
“14. Upon information and belief, [BMIC] avers that all claims and losses have been adjusted and settled properly and without any disagreement or complaint by said ... policyholders.
“15. Under each of the appraisal provisions at, issue, appraisal is proper only as to the ‘amount of loss.’
“16. Therefore appraisal is appropriate under said policies only where (1) no coverage issue exists, and (2) the policyholder and insurer agree on the scope of the damage.
“17. To the extent the November 12, 2010 letter, by which the [insureds] demand appraisal, demands an appraisal as to issues concerning coverage or the scope of the loss, the appraisal demand is improper.
“18. [The insureds], separately and severally, therefore, have no right to invoke the appraisal process.
“19. [BMIC] further avers that the attorneys that demanded appraisal by way of the November 12, 2010 letter presently have filed.nine (9) separate lawsuits against [BMIC], three of which set forth class action allegations (McCain v. Baldwin Mutual et al, CV-10-901266, Montgomery County (‘McCain Class’), Moyers v. Baldwin Mutual et al, CV-10-900100, Escambia County (‘Moyers Class’), and Smith v. Baldwin Mutual et al, CV-07-900258, Calhoun County (‘Smith Class’)).
“20. The Complaint as last amended in Smith defines the putative class as follows:
“ ‘The class includes all of those past and present ... policyholders, who, after suffering an insured loss, were subjected to Defendant [John] Bobo’s
“21. Upon information and belief,' most, if not all, of the [insureds] were identified by their current attorneys and contacted by way of the Smith litigation. Specifically, the attorneys that now represent the [insureds] sent over two thousand (2,000) letters to various policyholders of [BMIC], including, most, if not all, of the [insureds].
“22. While simultaneously prosecuting the Smith class, the attorneys for the [insureds] are also seeking individual appraisals for the same individuals that would fall within the Smith class.
[1036]*1036“23. The Complaint as last amended in Moyer[s] defines the putative class as follows:
“ ‘The class includes past and present BMIC policyholders that suffered losses as a result of the occurrence of Hurricane 'Ivan for which they have not been duly compensated, upon whose land Defendants trespassed or who have otherwise been aggrieved by Defendants’ -conduct in the wake of Hurricane Ivan.
“ ‘Members of the class or a class also include those' BMIC policy holders who suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Ivan and who were subjected to the abnormally low pricing scheme perpetrated by Defendants, as herein described above, and whose claims were consequently underpaid.’
“24. Count IX of the Second Amended Complaint in Moyers sets forth a demand.for Appraisal.
“25. The Complaint as last amended filed in McCain defines the putative class as follows:
“‘All holders of policies, issued by [BMIC],' insuring properties within the State of Alabama who have suffered a loss within six (6) years of the filing of this . complaint for which [BMIC] reduced the actual cash value of the same by reduction for the loss of value of undepreciable loss ele.ments.’ ■ ". ■ •
“26. The same Gloria McCain that serves as'the class-representative in the McCain class is among the Respondents on whose behalf appraisal has been demanded.
“27. Bécause [the insureds] have failed to adequately identify the claims or losses for which they seek an appraisal, [BMIC] is unable to determine which of the [insureds] may fall within the class definitions set forth in the aforementioned class actions.
“28. [BMIC] avers that proceeding with the appraisal process prior to a determination whether there exists a real dispute or disagreement and whether each, [of .the insureds], separately and severally, is entitled to invoke the appraisal process, will result in immediate and irreparable injury loss damage to [BMIC].”

(Emphasis added.)

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Bluebook (online)
181 So. 3d 1033, 2014 Ala. LEXIS 161, 2014 WL 4851516, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/baldwin-mutual-insurance-company-v-melissa-adair-ala-2014.