Bowlers' Alley, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance

32 F. Supp. 3d 824, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123305, 2014 WL 4267494
District Court, E.D. Michigan·Decided August 26, 2014·No. Case No. 13-13804·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO DISMISS COUNTER-COMPLAINT

DAVID M. LAWSON, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the plaintiff’s motion to dismiss the defendant’s counter-complaint. The plaintiffs bowling establishment was heavily damaged when water pipes burst and flooded the premises. Its insurer, defendant Cincinnati Insurance Company, made initial loss payments of approximately $600,000. But when the plaintiff submitted a proof of loss that asserted a total loss of $2.6 million, Cincinnati balked and refused to make further payments. The plaintiff filed the present lawsuit for breach of con- . tract, and the defendant responded with a counter-complaint asserting claims for (1) breach of contract (count I); (2) fraud (count II); and (3) unjust enrichment (count III). The defendant seeks a judgment declaring the insurance policy void and return of the $600,000 already paid.

The defendant has filed a response to the plaintiffs motion to dismiss the counter-complaint, and the plaintiff has filed a reply. The Court has reviewed the pleadings and motion papers and finds that the papers' adequately set forth the relevant facts and law and oral argument will not aid in the disposition of the motion. Therefore, it is ORDERED that the- motion be decided on the papers submitted. See E.D. Mich. LR 7.1(f)(2). The hearing previously scheduled for August 26, 2014 is CANCELLED. The Court finds that the defendant’s allegations of fraud have not been made with particularity, as required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b) and the fraud claim is barred by the economic loss doctrine. The unjust enrichment claim cannot survive because of the existence of a contract between the parties. However, the defendant has stated a viable claim for breach of contract ini its counter-complaint. Therefore the Court will grant in part and deny in part the plaintiffs motion to dismiss the counter-complaint.

I.

According to the pleadings, the flood at the plaintiffs bowling facility in May 2012 [828] damaged a number of wooden bowling lane surfaces, and the plaintiff alleges in its complaint that high levels of humidity and condensation in the days after the event also caused the failure of several light fixtures, although the actual flooding only occurred on or below the floor of the facility. Cincinnati had issued a hazard insurance policy that covered the premises. As mentioned, after the plaintiff contacted the insurer, it paid out more than $600,000 based on early estimates that called for resurfacing of the damaged alleys with synthetic overlays, but that amount did not include the claimed damage to light fixtures and certain other expenses for debris removal and general contracting.

On April 4, 2013, Cincinnati sent the plaintiff a request for a proof of loss. Bowler’s Alley requested and Cincinnati granted an extension of time to complete the proof of loss. On June 18, 2013, the plaintiff submitted a sworn “interim” statement of proof of loss with the $2.6 million price tag, which Cincinnati rejected on July 17, 2013. The rejection letter set forth in detail nine categories of items and amounts included in the proof of loss that Cincinnati claimed were not covered, insufficiently documented, or contradictory to previous statements regarding the extent of the loss and damages.

On August 16, 2013, the plaintiff responded by letter and demanded that Cincinnati proceed to process its claim immediately. In that letter, the plaintiff addressed each of the items of asserted deficiency in turn, contending that the items were allowable and appropriate, and that it previously had supplied adequate documentation, or soon would provide documentation, to substantiate each item. On August 30, 2013, Cincinnati sent a letter setting forth its continued discontent with the items pointed out in its earlier rejection letter, asserting that the August 16, 2013 letter was nonresponsive to various requests, and stating that certain requested documents still had not been provided.

In “Section D” of the policy, entitled “Loss Conditions,” the policy states that in the event of loss or damage, the insured must:

(5) At our request, give us complete inventories of the damaged and undamaged property. Include quantities, costs, values and amount of “loss” claimed.
(6) As often as may be reasonably required, permit us to inspect the property proving the “loss” and examine your books and records. Also permit us to take samples of damaged and undamaged property for inspection, testing and analysis and permit us to make copies from your books and records:
(7) Submit'a signed sworn proof of loss containing the information we re- ' quest to investigate the claim. You must do this within 60 days after our request. We will supply you with the necessary forms.
(8) Cooperate with us in the investigation or settlement of the claim.

Counter-Compl., Ex. 1, Policy at 27. The policy also states that the insurer “may examine any insured under oath, while not in the presence of any other insured and at such times as may be reasonably required about any matter relating to this insurance or the claim, including an insured’s books and records.” Id. at 28. The parties agree that no examination under oath (EUO) occurred before the plaintiff filed its lawsuit, but they hotly dispute which of them was responsible for that failure. Cincinnati alleges that it requested that the plaintiff submit to an EUO, but the plaintiff refused to do so and failed to turn over certain documents that [829] Cincinnati deemed essential to the conduct of an effective EUO. The plaintiff asserts that when Cincinnati demanded an EUO the plaintiff responded that it was willing to submit to one and demanded that Cincinnati promptly schedule the examination. The plaintiff, contends that, instead of arranging for an EUO, Cincinnati made repeated gratuitous requests for more documents and insisted that it could not perform the EUO until these requests were fulfilled. The plaintiff maintains that it fully complied with these requests and has disclosed all of the relevant documents that it has which substantiate the amounts set forth in its proof of loss.

The “Commercial Property Conditions” supplement to the policy states that “[n]o one may bring a legal action against [the insurer]” unless “[t]here has been full compliance with all terms of [Section D],” and “[t]he action is brought within 2 years after the date on which the direct ‘physical’ loss occurred.” Counter-CompL, Ex. 1, Policy at 65. The commercial property supplement further states that

This Coverage Part is void in any case of fraud by you as it relates to this Coverage Part at any time. It is also void if you or any other insured, at any time, intentionally conceal or misrepresent a material fact concerning:
1. This Coverage Part;
2. The Covered Property;
3. Your interest in the Covered
Property; or
4. A claim under this Coverage Part.

Ibid.

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Bowlers' Alley, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance, 32 F. Supp. 3d 824, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123305, 2014 WL 4267494 (E.D. Mich. 2014).

32 F. Supp. 3d 824 (Bowlers' Alley, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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