Builders Mut. Ins. Co. v. DRAGAS MANAGEMENT CORP.

709 F. Supp. 2d 432
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Virginia
DecidedMarch 24, 2010
DocketCivil Action No. 2:09cv185
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 709 F. Supp. 2d 432 (Builders Mut. Ins. Co. v. DRAGAS MANAGEMENT CORP.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Builders Mut. Ins. Co. v. DRAGAS MANAGEMENT CORP., 709 F. Supp. 2d 432 (E.D. Va. 2010).

Opinion

709 F.Supp.2d 432 (2010)

BUILDERS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff and Counterclaim Defendant,
v.
DRAGAS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, Defendant, Counterclaim Plaintiff, Crossclaim Plaintiff, and Crossclaim Defendant, and
Firemen's Insurance Company of Washington, D.C., Defendant, Crossclaim Defendant, and Crossclaim Plaintiff, and
Dragas Management Corporation, Third-Party Plaintiff,
v.
Hanover Insurance Company and Citizens Insurance Company of America, Third-Party Defendants.

Civil Action No. 2:09cv185.

United States District Court, E.D. Virginia, Norfolk Division.

March 24, 2010.

*433 Danny Mark Howell, Michael Thomas Marr, Mikhael David Charnoff, Sands Anderson Marks & Miller, McLean, VA, Lisa Taylor Hudson, Sands Anderson PC, Douglas Aaron Winegardner, Sands Anderson Marks & Miller PC, Richmond, VA, for Builders Mutual Insurance Company.

Kristan Boyd Burch, Richard Johan Conrod, Jr., William Edgar Spivey, Kaufman & Canoles PC, Norfolk, VA, Kali Nneka Bracey, Lorelie Sue Masters, Matthew L. Jacobs, Jenner & Block LLP, Washington, DC, for Dragas Management Corporation.

John Becker Mumford, Jr., Kathryn Elizabeth Kransdorf, Hancock Daniel Johnson & Nagle PC, Glen Allen, VA, for Firemen's Insurance Company of Washington, D.C.

Thomas Simpson Garrett, Harman Claytor Corrigan & Wellman, Richmond, VA, for Hanover Insurance Company and Citizens Insurance Company of America.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

REBECCA BEACH SMITH, District Judge.

On April 23, 2009, plaintiff Builders Mutual Insurance Company ("BMIC") commenced *434 this action seeking a declaratory judgment that it owes no duty to defend nor to indemnify defendant Dragas Management Corporation ("Dragas") for injuries and property damage related to "Chinese drywall." On June 22, 2009, Dragas filed a Counterclaim for Declaratory Relief and Breach of Contract against BMIC seeking a declaration that BMIC does owe Dragas a duty to defend and to indemnify, as well as seeking damages for drywallrelated losses and BMIC's bad faith in denying coverage. On that same date, Dragas filed a Crossclaim against defendant Firemen's Insurance Company of Washington, D.C. ("FIC"), seeking the same relief as it had against BMIC, but omitting the claim of bad faith. On July 13, 2009, BMIC filed a Motion to Strike Counts I and II and to Dismiss Counts III and IV of the Counterclaim.[1] On July 21, 2009, FIC filed a Motion to Dismiss Count III of the Crossclaim. All motions have been fully briefed, and a hearing was held on March 12, 2010, on these motions. The matters are now ripe for review.[2]

I. The Insurance Policies

Dragas has purchased five insurance policies relevant to the present motions,[3] three of which are BMIC policies and two of which are FIC policies.[4] The first BMIC policy, Policy No. CPP 0013394 03, is a Commercial Package Policy for the period of February 5, 2006 to February 5, 2007 ("2006 BMIC Policy"). The second BMIC policy, Policy No. CPP 0029923 01, is a Commercial Package Policy for the period of March 1, 2008 to March 1, 2009 ("2008 BMIC Policy"). Coverage under both of these policies is limited to $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, with a $100,000 per occurrence deductible. The third BMIC policy, Policy No. UMB 0008545 00, is a Commercial Umbrella Policy for the policy period of March 1, 2008 to March 1, 2009 ("2008 BMIC Umbrella Policy"). Coverage under the 2008-2009 Umbrella Policy is limited to $7 million per occurrence and $7 million aggregate, with a $10,000 retention.

The two FIC policies, which share the Policy No. CPA XXXXXXX-XX, are both for the period of February 5, 2007 to February 5, 2008, with the first being a Commercial General Liability Policy ("2007 FIC Policy"), and the second being a Commercial Umbrella Policy ("2007 FIC Umbrella Policy"). The 2007 FIC Policy is limited to $1 million per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage and $2 million aggregate, with a $1 million limit for personal injury. There is a $250,000 per occurrence deductible applicable to property damage liability. The 2007 FIC Umbrella Policy is limited to $2 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate.

Among the BMIC and FIC policies, there are three commercial general liability ("CGL") policies: the 2006 BMIC Policy, the 2007 FIC Policy, and the 2008 BMIC Policy. Under all three of these *435 CGL policies, the insuring agreement covers "those sums that [Dragas] becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of `bodily injury' or `property damage' to which [the] insurance applies."[5] The insurers further have the "right and duty to defend" Dragas against any "suit" seeking such damages.

In addition to the three CGL policies, there are two umbrella policies at issue: the 2007 FIC Umbrella Policy and the 2008 BMIC Umbrella Policy. The insuring agreement of the 2007 FIC Umbrella Policy is essentially identical to the underlying CGL policy, agreeing to pay the "ultimate net loss" that Dragas becomes "legally obligated to pay as damages because of `bodily injury' or `property damage'" caused by an "occurrence." The language in the 2008 BMIC Umbrella Policy varies slightly, covering "the `ultimate net loss' in excess of the `retained limit' because of `bodily injury' or `property damage' to which [the] insurance applies." "Ultimate Net Loss" is then defined as "the total sum ... that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay by reason of settlement or judgments or any arbitration or other alternate dispute method entered into with [BMlC's] consent." The 2008 BMIC Umbrella Policy covers only those sums in excess of the "retained limit," or the "available limits of `underlying insurance.'" In sum, the BMIC and FIC umbrella policies are triggered when the underlying CGL insurance is exhausted.

II. Factual History

In early 2009, Dragas learned of potential third-party injury and property damage as a result of the installation of Chinese drywall by one of its subcontractors, Porter-Blaine Corporation ("Porter-Blaine"), in over 70 homes built by Dragas. (Countercl. ¶¶ 19-24.) Based on information provided by Porter-Blaine, Dragas sent a letter on February 11, 2009, to homeowners whose homes were suspected of containing Chinese drywall requesting access to their homes for inspection. (Id. ¶ 22.) Dragas received reports from the homeowners of various health symptoms and property damage alleged to have been caused by the defective drywall, including damage to a HVAC system, an exploding microwave, and various physical ailments. (Id. ¶ 25-27.)

Around the same time, Dragas filed insurance claims for its potential losses from the defective drywall under its CGL insurance, including the BMIC and FIC policies. Dragas entered into a series of correspondence with BMIC and FIC through BMIC's agent, Capstone ISG ("Capstone"), and through FIC's agent, Berkley Mid-Atlantic Group, LLC ("Berkley"). On March 11, 2009, Dragas sent letters to both Capstone and Berkley indicating Dragas' intentions to begin remediation of the defective drywall immediately, attaching a proposed remediation plan for the insurers to review. (Id. ¶ 53; Dragas' Opp'n FIC's Mot. Dismiss Ex. 1.).

After a series of meetings and correspondence with the insurers and their agents, Dragas sent BMIC a letter dated April 1, 2009, in which Dragas indicated it was interpreting BMIC's failure to object to the remediation plan as an indication of its consent. (BMIC's Mem. Supp. Mot. *436 Dismiss Ex.

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