Chateau Village North Condominium Ass'n v. American Family Mutual Insurance

170 F. Supp. 3d 1349, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33989, 2016 WL 1046243
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedMarch 16, 2016
DocketCivil Action No. 14-cv-01583-PAB-NYW
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 170 F. Supp. 3d 1349 (Chateau Village North Condominium Ass'n v. American Family Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Chateau Village North Condominium Ass'n v. American Family Mutual Insurance, 170 F. Supp. 3d 1349, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33989, 2016 WL 1046243 (D. Colo. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER

PHILIP A. BRIMMER, United States District Judge

This matter is before the Court on plaintiffs Partial Motion for Judgment as a [1352]*1352Matter of Law Pursuant to F.R.C.P. 56 [Docket No. 51] filed on July 20, 2015 by Chateau Village North Condominium Association (the “Association”) and on defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment [Docket No. 52] filed on July 20, 2015 by American Family Mutual Insurance Company (“American Family”). This Court has jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332.

I. BACKGROUND1

This case arises out of an insurance coverage dispute. The Association is responsible for the operation, maintenance, preservation, and control of the Chateau Village North Condominiums (“Chateau Village Condos”) in Boulder, Colorado. Docket No. 52 at 2, Statement of Undisputed Material Facts (“SUMF”) 1. The Association purchased a commercial property and liability insurance policy (the “policy”) from defendant American Family, which became effective on February 1, 2013. Id., SUMF 2. The policy contains an exclusions section at Section I.B. Id. at 2-3, SUMF 3. The exclusions section is prefaced with an anti-concurrent causation clause (“ACC”):

B. Exclusions

1. We will not pay for loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by any of the following. Such loss or damage is excluded regardless of any other cause or event that contributes concurrently or in any sequence to the loss. These exclusions apply whether or not the loss event results in widespread damage or affects a substantial area.

Id.\ Docket No. 52-1 at 2. Section I.B.l.g. of the exclusions section excludes coverage for the following:

g. Water
(1)Flood, surface water, waves, tides, tidal waves, overflow of any body of water, or their spray, all whether driven by wind or not;
(2) Mudslide or mudflow;
(3) Water that backs up or overflows from a sewer, drain or sump; or
(4) Water under the ground surface pressing on, or flowing or seeping through:
(a) Foundations, walls, floors or paved surfaces;
(b) Basements, whether paved or not; or
(c) Doors, windows or other openings.
But if Water, as described in Paragraphs (1) through (4) results in fire, explosion or sprinkler leakage, we will pay for the loss or damage caused by that fire, explosion or sprinkler leakage.

Docket No. 52 at 3, SUMF 4; Docket No. 52-1 at 3.

The policy includes a Condominium Enhancement Endorsement (the “endorsement”). See Docket No. 52 at 3-4, SUMF 5. At Section XVI, the endorsement adds coverage for sewer backup and sump overflow and replaces the water exclusion at Section I.B.l.g of the policy with language that omits any reference to sewer, drain, or sump backup. Id., SUMFs 5-6. Section XVI of the endorsement reads:

XVI. Sewer Back-Up and Sump Overflow
The following is added to paragraph A.5. Additional Coverages:
Sewer Back-Up and Sump Overflow
1. We will pay for direct physical loss or damage to Buildings or Business Personal Property, covered under Section I — Property, caused by or resulting from:
[1353]*1353A. Water which backs up through or overflows from a sewer or drain; or
B. Water which overflows from a sump, even if the-overflow results from mechanical breakdown of a sump pump or its related equipment.
However, with respect to paragraph XVI.l.b above, we will not pay the cost of repairing or replacing a sump pump or its related equipment in the event of a mechanical breakdown.
2. We will not pay for loss or damage caused by sewer or sump back up or overflow which occurs or is in progress within five (5) days of the effective date of this endorsement.
3. The coverage described in paragraph XVI.l of this endorsement does not apply to loss or damage resulting from an insured’s failure to:
A. Keep a sump pump or its related equipment in proper working condition; or
B. Perform the routine maintenance or repair necessary to keep a sewer or drain free from obstructions.
4. With respect to the coverage provided under paragraph XVI., Exclusion B.l.g. Water in Section I-Property is replaced by the following exclusion:
Water
(1) Flood, surface water, waves, tides, tidal waves, overflow of any body of water, or their spray, all whether driven by wind or not;
(2) Mudslide or mudflow; or
(3) Water under the ground surface pressing on, or flowing or seeping through:
(a) Foundations, walls, floors or paved surfaces;
(b) Basements, whether paved or not; or
(c)Doors, windows, or other openings.
But if water, as described in paragraph XVI.4. results in fire, explosion or sprinkler leakage, we will pay for the loss or damage caused by that fire, explosion, or sprinkler leakage.
5.The most we will pay for loss or damage in any one occurrence is $300,000 per location.

Id. at 3-5, SUMFs 5-7; Docket No. 52-1 at 5.

Following severe rainstorms in September 2013 in Boulder, on September 12, 2013 Chateau Village Condos sustained water damage. Docket No. 52 at 5, SUMFs 8-9. The rainstorms caused sewer backups affecting Chateau Condo units and common areas. Id., SUMF 10; see Docket No. 51 at 2, SUMF 3. The sewer backups were, the result of groundwater infiltrating the sewer system. Docket No. 52 at 5, SUMF 10. Luke McConnell, president of the Association’s Homeowners Association (“HOA”), reported to others that “the damage was caused by two things: sewer back up and rain water.” Docket No. 52 at 6, SUMF 14. Mr. McConnell was contacted by unit owners on the night of the water intrusion and was told that water was collecting on the patio of at least one unit. Docket No. 52 at 5, SUMF 13.

Plaintiff made a claim under the policy. Defendant inspected the subject property twice, on September 19, 2013 and October 5, 2013. Id., SUMF 12. On September 19, 2013, Mark Foresee inspected the property on behalf of defendant. Id. at 6, SUMF 15. Mr. Foresee’s note from the September 19, 2013 inspection states: “I found water damage to the walls and floor covering in all rooms. This water entered in thru the exterior doors and foundation.” Docket No. 52-6 at 5. In its September 20, 2013 letter, defendant explains:

[1354]

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170 F. Supp. 3d 1349, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33989, 2016 WL 1046243, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/chateau-village-north-condominium-assn-v-american-family-mutual-insurance-cod-2016.