Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Meramec Valley Bank

259 F. Supp. 2d 922, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7344, 2003 WL 1992527
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedFebruary 10, 2003
Docket4:00-cv-00206
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 259 F. Supp. 2d 922 (Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Meramec Valley Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Meramec Valley Bank, 259 F. Supp. 2d 922, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7344, 2003 WL 1992527 (E.D. Mo. 2003).

Opinion

259 F.Supp.2d 922 (2003)

CINCINNATI INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff,
v.
MERAMEC VALLEY BANK, Defendant.

No. 4:00-CV-206 CAS.

United States District Court, E.D. Missouri, Eastern Division.

February 10, 2003.

*924 Russell F. Watters, Brown and James, P.C., St. Louis, MO, for Plaintiff.

Michael A. Campbell, Christopher J. Rausch, Llynn K. White, Polsinelli and Shalton, St. Louis, MO, Dennis E. O, Senior Partner, Bryan Cave LLP, St. Louis, MO, for Defendant.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

SHAW, District Judge.

This diversity action for declaratory judgment is before the Court on the parties' cross motions for summary judgment. Cincinnati Insurance Co. (Cincinnati), and its insured, Meramec Valley Bank (Bank), disagree on whether two insurance policies issued by Cincinnati to the Bank provide coverage for the Bank's costs and liability arising out of litigation between the Bank and a creditor. The gravamen of the disagreement centers on whether the claimed coverage was for "property damage" as defined by either policy. For the reasons set for below, the Court concludes that no coverage is provided, and that Cincinnati is entitled to summary judgment on its claims and on the Bank's counterclaims.

I. BACKGROUND

The Insurance Policies

Cincinnati issued two insurance policies to the Bank, a Financial Institutions Policy and a Commercial Umbrella Liability Policy. Cincinnati does not dispute that the claimed losses fall within the policy periods. The Financial Institutions Policy contains several Parts, including a Building and Personal Property Coverage Part, and a Commercial General Liability Coverage Part. The Building and Personal Property Coverage Part covered "direct physical loss or damage to Covered Property at [the Bank's premises]." An endorsement to this Part, entitled Foreclosed Property Coverage Endorsement, provides, in pertinent part:

A. COVERAGE

1. We will pay for direct physical loss of or damage to Foreclosed Property caused by or resulting from any Covered Cause of Loss.
Foreclosed Property, as used in this Coverage Endorsement, means one or more of the following options for which a Limit of Insurance is shown in the Foreclosed Property Coverage Schedule or the Foreclosed Property Report of Values form:
a. 1- to 4-family dwelling building, or
b. Any other building
including personal property mortgaged in connection with the building, acquired through repossession, foreclosure, deed in lieu of foreclosure or as mortgagee in possession.

The Commercial General Liability Coverage Part, provides, in pertinent part:

COVERAGE A____ PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY

1. Insuring Agreement.

a We will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to play *925 as damages because of ... "property damage" to which this insurance applies. We will have the right and duty to defend any "suit seeking those damages."
* * * * * *
b. This insurance applies to ... "property damage" only if:
(1) The... "property damage" is caused by an "occurrence" ....
* * * * * *

2. Exclusions

This insurance does not apply to:

a.... "property damage" expected or intended from the standpoint of the insured.

The Commercial General Liability Coverage Part contains a provision for Supplementary Payments agreeing to pay, with respect to any claim or suit Cincinnati defends, all reasonable expenses and costs. The Commercial General Liability Coverage Part contains the following definitions:

* * * * * *
"Occurrence" means an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.
* * * * * *
"Property damage" means:
a. Physical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of the property. All such loss or use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the "occurrence" that caused it; or
b. Loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured. All such loss shall be deemed to occur at the time of the "occurrence" that caused it.

An endorsement to this Part, entitled Commercial General Liability Endorsement, provides, in pertinent part:

1. Foreclosed ... Property Coverage

This insurance applies to ... "property damage" ... arising out of:
a. Any property you acquire through repossession, foreclosure, deed in lieu of foreclosure or as mortgagee in possession;

The Commercial Umbrella Liability Policy contains the following provisions with regard to coverage:

A. WE WILL PAY

We will pay on behalf of the insured the ultimate net loss for occurrences during the policy period in excess of the underlying insurance or for occurrences covered by this policy which are either excluded or not covered by underlying insurance because of ... property damage ... anywhere in the world.
* * * * * *
C. OUR DUTIES AND YOURS IN CLAIMS OR SUITS—DEFENSE, INVESTIGATION, SETTLEMENT, REIMBURSEMENT, ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION
(a) With respect to such insurance as is afforded by this policy, if there is no underlying insurer obligated to do so, we shall have the right and duty to defend any suit against the Insured seeking damages on account of ... property damage ... even if any of the allegations of the suit are groundless, false or fraudulent and we may make such investigation and settlement of the any claim or suit as we deem expedient, but we shall not be obligated to defend any suit after the applicable limit of our liability had been exhausted.
We will pay, in addition to the applicable limit of liability ... [the costs of the litigation].

The Commercial Umbrella Liability Policy contains the following definitions:

* * * * * *
*926 G. "occurrence"—means an accident, or happening or event, or a continuous or repeated exposure to conditions, which occurs during the policy period which unexpectedly or unintentionally results in .. . property damage .... All such exposure to substantially the same general conditions existing at or emanating from one premises location shall be deemed one occurrence.
* * * * * *
J. "property damage"—means (1) physical injury to or destruction of tangible property which occurs during the policy period, including the loss of use thereof at any time resulting therefrom, or (2) loss of use of tangible property which has not been physically injured or destroyed provided such loss of use is caused by an occurrence during the policy period."

The Underlying Litigation

The Bank provided financial assistance to Joel Bianco and his motorcycle dealership, Joel Bianco Kawaski Plus, Inc., (jointly referred to herein as Bianco) through the grant of two loans and two letters of credit. The notes were secured by security agreements pledging Bianco equipment and inventory. In 1997, Bianco fell behind in its payments to the Bank and other creditors and sought to sell its business.

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Bluebook (online)
259 F. Supp. 2d 922, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7344, 2003 WL 1992527, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cincinnati-ins-co-v-meramec-valley-bank-moed-2003.