Cambridge Mutual Insurance v. Patriot Mutual Insurance

323 F. Supp. 2d 95, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7644
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maine
DecidedApril 30, 2004
DocketNo. CIV. 03-107-P-C
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 323 F. Supp. 2d 95 (Cambridge Mutual Insurance v. Patriot Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cambridge Mutual Insurance v. Patriot Mutual Insurance, 323 F. Supp. 2d 95, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7644 (D. Me. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION AND ORDER

GENE CARTER, Senior District Judge.

Kenneth and Kathleen Strickland’s house in Monroe, Maine was completely destroyed by fire on December 9, 2002. Cambridge Mutual Insurance Company (“Cambridge”), Patriot Mutual Insurance Company (“Patriot”), and Clark & Bennett Insurance d/b/a Cross Insurance — Belfast (“Cross”) have each contributed equally to the Stricklands’ fire loss, for a total payment of $240,026.28. Cambridge contends that it was not responsible for the loss and brought this action against Patriot for equitable subrogation (Count III).1 Patriot counterclaims against Cambridge, arguing that it is entitled to be reimbursed for what it paid into the settlement under the doctrines of equitable subrogation (Count I) and reformation (Count II). Patriot also brings a Third-Party Complaint against Cross for negligence (Count I), breach of the agency agreement (Count II), indemnity (Count III), breach of fiduciary duties (Count IV), and contribution and indemnity (Count V). Third-Party Defendant Cross counterclaims against Patriot for breach of contract (Count I) and equitable subrogation (Count II) and cross-claims against Cambridge for breach of contract (Count I) and mutual mistake (Count II).

The Court now has before it Cambridge’s Motion for Summary Judgment wherein it requests that the Court enter summary judgment in its favor, declare that it has no legal liability to cover any portion of the Strickland’s fire loss, enter judgment against Patriot for damages in the amount of $80,008.76 together with interest and costs, and enter judgment in its favor on Cross’s cross-claims against it. Also before the Court is Patriot’s Motion for Summary Judgment requesting that the Court grant summary judgment in its [98]*98favor on Cambridge’s Complaint, Patriot’s counterclaims against Cambridge, Patriot’s Third-Party Complaint, and the counterclaims of Cross.

I. FACTS

The summary judgment record reveals the following undisputed facts. Cross entered into an agency agreement with Acadia Insurance Company (“Acadia”) in June 1992, whereby Acadia authorized Cross to act as its agent in procuring insurance business for it. Affidavit of Royce Cross ¶ 9. On September 10, 2002, Cambridge and Cross entered into an agency agreement whereby Cambridge authorized Cross to act as its agent in procuring insurance business for Cambridge.2 Cross Aff. ¶ 3. Effective November 1, 2002, Patriot and Cross entered into an agency agreement whereby Patriot authorized Cross to act as its agent in procuring insurance business for Patriot.3 Cross Aff. ¶ 6. During the month of December 2002, Cross was an insurance agent for Acadia, Cambridge, and Patriot. Cross Aff. ¶¶ 5, 8, 10.

Over the course of 2002, Acadia and Patriot had been working on transferring Acadia’s personal lines business to Patriot. Cross received notices from Patriot dated March 12, 2002, October 16 and 17, 2002, and October 25, 2002, regarding the transfer of Acadia’s personal lines business to Patriot. Affidavit of Barrí L. Bloom ¶ 4. Starting sometime in May to June of 2002, all of Acadia’s personal lines underwriting staff became employees of Patriot. Affidavit of Michael Swedo ¶ 6. By December 1, 2002, Acadia did not employ any personal lines underwriters. Swedo Aff. ¶ 7.

On November 25, 2002, Acadia sent a letter to each of its agents enclosing an amendment to the agency agreement regarding personal lines of insurance. Swe-do Aff. ¶¶ 3, 4. Cross received the above-referenced letter on November 26, 2002.4 Bloom Aff. ¶ 4. The Amendment to the Agency Agreement between Acadia and Cross provides in relevant part:

This amendment modifies the terms of the Agreement between “The Agent” [Cross] and “The Company” [Acadia] previously signed by both parties, whereby “The Agent’s” authority under Paragraph I., B. to solicit, receive, bind, execute and transmit proposals for insurance contracts to “The Company” for any and all Personal Lines of business is hereby withdrawn and cancelled.

Royce Cross, President of Cross, signed the amendment to the Cross Insurance Agency Agreement with Acadia providing that the amendment would be effective December 1, 2002.5 Swedo Aff. ¶ 5. As of December 1, 2002, Acadia was completely out of the personal lines insurance business in Maine. Swedo Aff. ¶ 2. However, on December 9, 2002, the agency agreement between Cross and Acadia remained in effect, and Cross was generally authorized to procure insurance business for Acadia. Cross Aff. ¶ 10.

On Tuesday, December 3, 2002, Kenneth Strickland met with Virginia Emery, an [99]*99authorized insurance agent employed by Cross, to discuss changing the insurance coverage on a house he owned that was located at 82 Curtis Road in Monroe, Maine (the “Property”). Affidavit of Kenneth Strickland ¶¶ 2-3; Deposition of Virginia Emery at 9-10. Ms. Emery was a licensed agent of the Andover Companies, which included Cambridge,6 and Acadia as of December 3, 2002. Emery Dep. at 7. Mr. Strickland told Ms. Emery that he was renting his home to a third party and he wanted to ensure that he had proper insurance coverage. Emery Dep. at 10. Mr. Strickland also told Ms. Emery that the primary source of heat for the Property was a combination wood/oil furnace. Emery Dep. at 17. During her meeting with Mr. Strickland, and at the suggestion of a co-worker, Ms. Emery telephoned Cambridge to ascertain whether its underwriting guidelines permitted it to issue a dwelling fire policy on Mr. Strickland’s Property.7 Emery Dep. at 18-20, 22; Affidavit of Lucus Cummings ¶ 2.

When she called Cambridge, Ms. Emery attempted to speak with two underwriters with whom Cross normally worked when placing coverage. Emery Dep. at 20, 22. Because those underwriters were unavailable, Ms. Emery asked if there was an underwriter at Cambridge to whom she could speak. Emery Dep. at 23. Ms. Emery was connected to a Cambridge underwriter named Lucas Cummings. Cummings Aff. ¶¶ 2, 6; Emery Dep. at 23, 102-OS. Ms. Emery asked Mr. Cummings whether Cambridge could insure a DP3, $260,000 rented dwelling with an wood/oil furnace. Emery Dep.at 23-24; 69. Mr. Cummings explained to Ms. Emery that Cambridge could write a dwelling fire policy to cover a rented dwelling with a wood/ oil furnace, provided it was not within twenty feet of other structures. Cummings Aff. ¶3. Ms. Emery asked Mr. Strickland whether it was within twenty feet of other structures and Mr. Strickland replied that it was not. Emery Dep. at 24.

When Ms. Emery ended the telephone call with Cambridge on December 3, 2002, she did not believe that Cross had an obligation to place the Strickland business with Cambridge; rather, she felt that Cross could place the Strickland risk with an insurer other than Cambridge. Emery Dep. at 107-08. In addition, Ms. Emery did not know on December 3, 2002, whether she was going to place the Strickland business with Cambridge or some other company. Emery Dep. at 110-11. At that time, however, Ms. Emery did not call any other insurance companies after speaking with Mr. Cummings at Andover on December 3, 2002. Emery Dep. at 29, 32.

After speaking with Cambridge’s underwriter on December 3, 2002, and while Mr. Strickland was sitting at her desk, Ms. Emery worked with two other Cross agents, Lisa Archer and Laurene Rich, to calculate a rate premium for the Property. Dep. of Laurene Rich at 19-21; Emery Dep.

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Related

Cambridge Mut. Ins. Co. v. Patriot Mut. Ins. Co.
323 F. Supp. 2d 95 (D. Maine, 2004)

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Bluebook (online)
323 F. Supp. 2d 95, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7644, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cambridge-mutual-insurance-v-patriot-mutual-insurance-med-2004.