Busch v. Holmes

662 N.W.2d 64, 256 Mich. App. 4
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 29, 2003
DocketDocket 235160
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 662 N.W.2d 64 (Busch v. Holmes) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Busch v. Holmes, 662 N.W.2d 64, 256 Mich. App. 4 (Mich. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

Griffin, J.

Plaintiff Gregory J. Busch appeals by right from an order of the circuit court granting summary disposition in favor of defendants Stewart A. Holmes and Underwriters at Lloyds, London pursuant to MCR 2.116(C)(10) regarding plaintiff’s complaint alleging breach of an insurance contract for defendants’ refusal to indemnify plaintiff for $157,350 in attorney fees incurred by plaintiff in defending a criminal indictment. We affirm.

I

On January 19, 1999, a grand jury for the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan indicted plaintiff for “knowingly violating] Section 1321(b)(3) of Title 33 of the United States Code by knowingly discharging oil into and upon the navigable waters of the United States in a quantity that may be harmful.” 1

At the time of the alleged crime, plaintiff was insured under a “Limited U.S. Oil Pollution Insurance Policy” underwritten by defendant Holmes on behalf of defendant Underwriters at Lloyds, London. Following the indictment, plaintiff demanded coverage under the insurance policy. Defendants denied plaintiff’s request in a denial letter that states, in pertinent part:

*6 The indictment presently pending against your client charges Mr. Busch with “knowingly discharging oil.” If found guilty of the violation, Title 33, Section 1321(b)(3) provides for the assessment of a civil penalty. The insurance policy, however, provides coverage for removal costs and contains express exclusions for wilful discharges and for penalties. For these reasons, on behalf of the interested insurers signatory to captioned policies, we do not waive and hereby expressly reserve any right the insurers may have to deny coverage and refuse to indemnify your client for any penalty which may be imposed or for any costs or expenses incurred in defending against the indictment.
You have pointed out that although Mr. Busch has been charged with knowingly discharge [sic] of oil, it is possible that at the trial the evidence may only establish an accidental discharge. If that should be the case, please be assured that the interested insurers will re-visit this issue and consider any claim for indemnification which may be covered by the policy.

Thereafter, plaintiff incurred $157,350 in attorney fees in defending the criminal indictment. The criminal proceedings were terminated by a plea-bargain agreement wherein the United States Attorney agreed to dismiss the charge of knowingly discharging oil in violation of 33 USC 1321(b)(3) in exchange for plaintiff’s plea of guilty to one count of negligently causing water pollution by discharging oil (33 USC 1319[c][l]), the payment of a civil penalty of $25,000 to settle all potential civil and administrative claims, and the suspension of his coast-guard license for sixty days.

Following the conclusion of the criminal case, defendants paid plaintiff $10,000 in partial indemnity for the civil penalty, but refused to indemnify plaintiff for the $157,350 in attorney fees incurred in defending the criminal indictment. Plaintiff then brought the *7 present action for declaratory relief and breach of contract. The circuit court granted summary disposition in favor of defendants, ruling that the insurance policy clearly and unambiguously did not provide indemnity for attorney fees incurred in defending this criminal prosecution. We agree.

In its ruling, the circuit court distinguished the duty-to-defend cases relied on by plaintiff on the basis that the case at bar was a criminal prosecution rather than a civil case, and therefore the pleadings could not be readily amended to trigger a duty to indemnify. Further, the circuit court relied on Patterson v Standard Accident Ins Co, 178 Mich 288, 291; 144 NW 491 (1913), 2 for the principle of law that, “[i]t would be against public policy for this Court to hold an insurance company has a duty to defend a criminal prosecution.” 3 Plaintiff now appeals.

H

In South Macomb Disposal Auth v American Ins Co (On Remand), 225 Mich App 635, 653-654; 572 NW2d 686 (1997), Judge (now Chief Justice) Corrigan summarized the following well-established principles that guide our interpretation of insurance policies:

We apply general rules of construction in interpreting insurance policies. Interpretation of a contract with clear *8 language is a question of law, which is reviewed de novo. Auto Club Ins Ass’n v Lozanis, 215 Mich App 415, 419; 546 NW2d 648 (1996). A court determines whether the policy is clear and unambiguous on its face. Upjohn Co v New Hampshire Ins Co, 438 Mich 197, 206; 476 NW2d 392 (1991). Courts may not create ambiguities where none exist, but must construe ambiguous policy language in the insured’s favor. Fire Ins Exchange v Diehl, 450 Mich 678, 687; 545 NW2d 602 (1996). Clear and unambiguous language may not be rewritten under the guise of interpretation; contract terms must be enforced as written, and unambiguous terms must be construed according to their plain and commonly understood meaning. Upjohn, supra at 207; Lozanis, supra. Additionally, an insurance contract should be viewed as a whole and read to give meaning to all its terms. Fresard v Michigan Millers Mut Ins Co, 414 Mich 686, 694; 327 NW2d 286 (1982). Conflicts between clauses should be harmonized, and a contract should not be interpreted so as to render it unreasonable. Id.
Exclusionary clauses are strictly construed in the insured’s favor. Auto-Owners Ins Co v Churchman, 440 Mich 560, 567; 489 NW2d 431 (1992). A clear and specific exclusion must be given effect; an insurance company may not be held liable for unassumed risks. Id. If any exclusion in an insurance policy applies to a claimant’s particular claims, coverage is lost. Id.

Further, “[t]his Court reviews the grant or denial of summary disposition de novo to determine if the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Maiden v Rozwood, 461 Mich 109, 118; 597 NW2d 817 (1999).

III

At the outset, we note that plaintiff has misstated the issue in terms of whether defendants breached a duty to defend, rather than a duty to indemnify. At oral argument, plaintiff’s counsel conceded that the *9 insurance policy does not contain a duty-to-defend clause. On the contrary, the policy contains only a clause that provides indemnity for “[c]osts, charges and expenses incurred, . . . defending against or investigating or adjusting any liabilities insured against. . . .”

The civil cases relied on by plaintiff that hold “an insurer’s duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify,” Auto-Owners Ins Co v Clare, 446 Mich 1, 15; 521 NW2d 480 (1994), and Polkow v Citizens Ins Co of America,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
662 N.W.2d 64, 256 Mich. App. 4, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/busch-v-holmes-michctapp-2003.