Central Wholesale Co. v. Wolverine Insurance

145 N.W.2d 375, 4 Mich. App. 688, 1966 Mich. App. LEXIS 600
CourtMichigan Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 25, 1966
DocketDocket No. 399
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 145 N.W.2d 375 (Central Wholesale Co. v. Wolverine Insurance) 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
Central Wholesale Co. v. Wolverine Insurance, 145 N.W.2d 375, 4 Mich. App. 688, 1966 Mich. App. LEXIS 600 (Mich. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

McGregor, J.

The question in this case is whether or not the defendant automobile liability insurer, Wolverine Insurance Company, has the duty to reimburse the plaintiff-insured, Central Wholesale Company, for damages paid in settlement of a personal injury suit brought by another party, along with the costs of defending and investigating such suit.

Shortly before noon, on July 27, 1957, Robert J. Bowes, accompanied by his wife Gertrude and their children, was driving north on US-23, when his 'automobile was struck in the rear by a truck-tractor, [690]*690hauling a semitrailer, driven by Charles Vincent Swann. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bowes were seriously injured in the collision. Gertrude Bowes died later the same day from the injuries she received. The title to the truck was in the Central Banana Company.

Robert J. Bowes subsequently filed suits on his own behalf to recover damages for his injuries and as the administrator of his deceased wife’s estate, to recover damages for wrongful death against Bell Robinson; Central Wholesale Company, a Michigan corporation, individually and doing business as Central Banana Company; Central Banana Company, Incorporated, a Michigan corporation; and Charles Vincent Swann, alleging that Central Banana Company was an instrumentality, agent and adjunct of Central Wholesale Company by virtue of its being so organized, controlled and managed by Central Wholesale, that the Central Banana Company was a sham and in reality a part of and one with Central Wholesale Company. The declarations in the Bowes suits also alleged that the building used by Central Banana Company as its place of business and much of the equipment installed in that building were actually owned by Central Wholesale Company, and that although defendants Bell Robinson and Central Wholesale Company, who operated the Central Banana Company as a partnership, purported to organize a corporation called Central Banana Company on or about January 25, 1957, yet the Central Banana Company as a corporation was a sham, because there was no change in ownership, scope of operations, management, or personnel.

Upon being sued by Bowes, the plaintiff herein, Central Wholesale Company, notified its own automobile insurer, the defendant herein, and requested the insurer to defend it in the Bowes actions. The defendant insurer declined to undertake the defense [691]*691of the Bowes suits and denied any liability under the plaintiff’s insurance policy on the ground that the vehicle involved in the collision with the Bowes’ vehicle was not covered by the policy because it was not included upon the schedule of vehicular equipment in the policy. The Bowes suits were dismissed upon a settlement in the amount of $20,000 of which $11,500 was paid by the insurance carrier for Central Banana Company, and $8,500 was paid by the plaintiff herein, Central Wholesale Company.

Upon the refusal of the defendant herein to reimburse the plaintiff for its share of the settlement, plaintiff brought the instant suit to recover the $8,500 and also $2,863.00, expended in the preparation of the defense against Bowes, including attorney and investigation fees. A court, sitting without a jury, tried this case upon stipulated facts.

The parties stipulated that, in 1950, Bell Robinson, a banana handling specialist, became associated with Central Wholesale Company, which was engaged in the business of selling groceries, produce, vegetables, and bananas; that the banana operation was at first conducted from the basement of Central Wholesale’s offices, but in 1952 or 1953, Central Wholesale built a building especially for the banana operation which was charged rent; that a corporation was formed on January 1,1957, known as Central Banana Company, the capital stock of which was evenly divided between Bell Robinson and Central Wholesale Company ; that the original bank account established for the banana operation was left in a partnership name; that in 1960 a corporation account was opened for payroll purposes. The parties also stipulated that the truck rig which collided with the Bowes automobile was owned by Central Banana Company and driven by one of its employees, Charles Vincent Swann; that Central Banana Company had a policy of liability insurance which it paid for with its own [692]*692funds, and which, covered its fleet of trucks, including the one involved in the collision; that the company which issued this policy contributed $11,500 toward the settlement made with Mr. Bowes. It was also stipulated that Central Banana paid to Central Wholesale $800.monthly rental for the banana handling facilities and that Central Banana Company paid out of its own funds all Federal income tax and all payroll withholding taxes which were due. The circuit court granted a judgment of no cause of action in favor of the defendant-insurer, but subsequently amended the judgment to award the plaintiff $2,863, the amount of costs incurred in preparing the defense against the Bowes suits.

The defendant insurance company appealed to this court from the judgment rendered below, contending that the plaintiff is entitled to no recovery. The plaintiff cross-appealed, contending that the circuit court erred in holding that the insurer was not obliged to reimburse plaintiff for its share of the settlement.

The relevant portions of the insurance policy at issue are as follows:

“Wolverine Insurance Company * * # agrees with the insured * * * subject to the limits of liability, limitations, conditions, and other terms of this policy: * * *
“Coverage A. Bodily Injury Liability. To pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury, sickness or disease, including death at any time resulting therefrom, and including damages for care and loss of services, sustained by any person or persons, other than the insured and arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of the insured automobile including the loading and unloading thereof.
[693]*693“Coverage B. Property Damage Liability. To pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of the injuries to or destruction of property including the loss of use thereof, and arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of the insured automobile, including the loading and unloading thereof. * * *
“Defense Settlement, Supplementary Payments. 1. As respects such insurance as is afforded by the other terms of this policy under the bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverages, the company shall:
A. Defend in his name and behalf any suit against the insured arising from any alleged claim for bodily injury or property damage, whether such suit is groundless, false, fraudulent, or otherwise, * * *
B. * * * (a) Pay all costs lawfully taxed against the insured in any such suit * * *
(g) Pay the expenses incurred in investigations, negotiations for adjustment and settlement; * * *
“Automobile Defined. Except where specifically stated to the contrary, the word ‘automobile’ wherever used, shall include equipment permanently attached thereto and shall mean the described automobile, a land motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or housetrailer, not operated on rails or crawler-treads, * # *

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
145 N.W.2d 375, 4 Mich. App. 688, 1966 Mich. App. LEXIS 600, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/central-wholesale-co-v-wolverine-insurance-michctapp-1966.