Christensen v. Farmers Insurance Exchange

443 P.2d 385, 21 Utah 2d 194, 1968 Utah LEXIS 620
CourtUtah Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 5, 1968
Docket11135
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 443 P.2d 385 (Christensen v. Farmers Insurance Exchange) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Utah Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Christensen v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, 443 P.2d 385, 21 Utah 2d 194, 1968 Utah LEXIS 620 (Utah 1968).

Opinion

ELLETT, Justice:

Dr. Vernon L. Stevenson carried insurance on his automobile with respondent, hereinafter called Farmers. The pertinent-provisions of the policy are as follows-:

Definition of “Insured” under Part 1' The unqualified word “insured” includes " •
*196 (а) with respect to the described automobile,
(1) the named insured, and
(2) any other person while using such automobile and any other person or organization legally responsible for its use, provided the actual use of such automobile is by the named insured or with his permission; * * *
J|C * * * * *
Additional Definitions under Part 1
******
(2) Automobile Business. “Automobile Business” means the business of selling, repairing, servicing, storing, washing, delivering, testing or parking automobiles, their parts or equipment. íjl % ‡ ^
THIS POLICY DOES NOT APPLY UNDER PART 1:
* * * * * *
(б) while the .described automobile is being used in the automobile business, * * *

The word “used” and the phrase “being used in” are not defined in the policy.

Dr. Stevenson requested Clover D. Christensen to install some new tie-rod ends on the automobile and to balance the wheels. The tie-rod ends were installed, but Christensen could not balance the wheels because his machine was out of order. He made arrangements by phone to have the wheels balanced by another concern, and while driving the car from his place of business to the one where the work was to be performed he was involved in an accident in which intervenors’ decedent lost his life.

Farmers denied coverage under the exclusion provision of the policy, claiming that at the time of the accident the car was being “used in the automobile business” of Christensen. The trial court granted summary judgment to Farmers and denied plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment, and this appeal is from those rulings.

The provisions of this policy are of rather recent origin. Formerly, the insurance policies contained a provision excluding from coverage “any person, etc., operating an automobile repair shop, public garage, sales agency, service station or public parking place.” Coverage was excluded without any consideration as to whether or not the automobile at the time of an accident was in fact being used in the automobile business.

The cases decided under the old policy provisions will not afford much assistance in the instant case, for here we must determine the meaning to be given to the phrase “being used in” the automobile business, and this phrase was not included in the older policies.

In interpreting an insurance policy, courts have uniformly resolved ambiguities, if any there be, in a policy strictly against *197 the insurer and in favor of the insured. Browning v. Equitable Life Assurance Society of United States, 94 Utah 532, 72 P.2d 1060; Jorgensen v. Hartford Fire Insurance Company, 13 Utah 2d 303, 373 P.2d 580.

The Utah Supreme Court had an occasion to contemplate the problem here posed in the case of National Farmers Union Property and Casualty Co. v. Farmers Insurance Group, 14 Utah 2d 89, 377 P.2d 786 (1963). There, a customer of a garage borrowed a privately owned car from a salesman to be used during the time his own car was being repaired and thereafter was involved in a collision. It was claimed that the coverage was excluded by reason of the automobile’s being used in the automobile business. The lower court had found that the car was not being used in the automobile business, and this court refused to overturn that finding, saying, “The cases cited to this court which seem to be in point support this finding. These cases look at the use of the car from the standpoint of the driver.”

It is believed that the first case in the Nation to construe the language in policies, like the one now before us is McCree v. Jenning, 55 Wash.2d 725, 349 P.2d 1071 (1960). In that case Miller had repaired the insured’s automobile. It needed gas in order to be delivered back to the owner. Miller’s guest was driving the car to the gas station when it was involved in an accident. Judgment was against the insured, and in garnishment proceedings the insurer denied liability under a policy similar to the one involved in the instant case. The "Washington Supreme Court at page 1072 said:

The appellant appears to have overlooked the significance of the word, “used” and to have assumed that any automobile in the possession or under the control of an automobile repairman would necessarily come within the exclusion. We do not so read the exclusion.
According to the pertinent definitions, in Webster’s New Twentieth Century' Dictionary (2d ed.1957), the verb “to use” means “to put or bring into action- or service; to employ for or apply to-a given purpose.” Synonyms are “employ, exercise, treat, practice, accustom, habituate, inure.”
It would appear evident, therefore, that an automobile “used in the automobile business,” would be one which was employed for some purpose in connection'' with that business. For example, a tow' truck, an automobile used for demonstration purposes, or a vehicle used for securing or delivering equipment 'and supplies would be “used in " the business.” But the Jenning automobile was not turned over to Miller to be used by him for his business purposes. It was simply brought to him to be repaired.
In driving the Jenning automobile to the gas station, Farrell was not using it in the repair business; but was merely *198 accommodating a friend, who in turn was accommodating a customer.

This case was followed and approved in 1965 in the case of Northwestern Mutual Insurance Co. v. Great American Insurance Co., 66 Wash.2d 762, 404 P.2d 995. Many other jurisdictions have followed the holding of the McCree case, a few of which are hereinafter referred to.

In 1964 the New Hampshire Supreme Court was called upon to decide whether coverage was excluded in Case v. Fidelity and Casualty Company of New York, 105 N.H. 422, 201 A.2d 897. There, a mechanic was recharging a battery so a customer’s car could be started. After the battery was recharged, the mechanic undertook to start the automobile, and in doing so he ran into the customer.

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Bluebook (online)
443 P.2d 385, 21 Utah 2d 194, 1968 Utah LEXIS 620, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/christensen-v-farmers-insurance-exchange-utah-1968.