Farmers Insurance v. Norden

543 P.2d 134, 25 Ariz. App. 296, 1975 Ariz. App. LEXIS 868
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedDecember 8, 1975
DocketNo. 2 CA-CIV 1938
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 543 P.2d 134 (Farmers Insurance v. Norden) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Farmers Insurance v. Norden, 543 P.2d 134, 25 Ariz. App. 296, 1975 Ariz. App. LEXIS 868 (Ark. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

OPINION

HOWARD, Chief Judge.

This is an appeal from the granting of appellees’ motion for summary judgment. For the purpose of submitting the case for summary judgment the parties entered into a stipulation of facts. This stipulation shows that appellant issued an automobile insurance policy on a 1957 Chevrolet automobile. It was issued in the name of Sharon Norden and contained a provision that the term “named insured” also included the spouse if a resident of the same household. Charles Norden at all times was the husband of Sharon Norden and did in fact reside in the same household.

On March 1, 1973, Charles Norden was injured while riding as a passenger in the 1957 Chevrolet automobile which at that time was being driven with his express or implied permission by Vernon Hill who negligently struck a guard rail. Hill was not covered by another insurance policy. This lawsuit is an action for a declaratory judgment seeking construction of the insurance policy and, in particular, the validity of the policy provision which excludes from coverage liability for any bodily injury to the named insured.

It is appellees’ contention that the policy exclusion violates the Financial Responsibility Act, Á.R.S. Sec. 28-1101 et seq. and that the cases of New York Underwriters Insurance Company v. The Superior Court, 104 Ariz. 544, 456 P.2d 914 (1969) and Stevens v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, 21 Ariz.App. 392, 519 P.2d 1157 (1974) control.

In New York Underwriters, the exclusion provided that the “policy does not apply to bodily injury to the insured or any member of the family of the insured residing in the same household as the insured.” The Court reviewed the principal purpose of the Financial Responsibility Act which is the protection of the public using the highways from financial hardships which may result from the use of automobiles by financially irresponsible persons. In view of such purpose the court held that the provision as limited to the named insured himself, is not contrary to the provisions of A.R.S. Sec. 28-1170 stating:

“In the light of that stated purpose, the question is whether or not the statute is intended to restrict the privilege of an individual to contract with his insurance carrier to exclude his own personal recovery under the policy terms in the event of his own injury. We read nothing in the statute which states such a restriction nor do we find ourselves compelled by public policy to so construe this statute.” 104 Ariz. at 545, 456 P.2d at 915.

In Stevens, the injured person who was seeking coverage under the policy was the four months-old son of the insured. The State Farm policy excluded from coverage for bodily injury “any member of the family of an insured residing in the same household as the insured.”

Division One of this court held the policy exclusion to be void as violative of the Financial Responsibility Act. After reviewing a host of Arizona decisions the court stated:

“All these decisions are emphatic in holding that exclusions in automobile insurance policies which attempt to prohibit recovery under a policy to injured third parties are void.” 21 Ariz.App. at 394, 519 P.2d at 1159 (Emphasis added)

Appellant cites two California decisions which they urge us to follow. In Farmers Insurance Exchange v. Geyer, 247 Cal. App.2d 625, 55 Cal.Rptr. 861 (1967) and in the case of Farmers Insurance Exchange v. Brown, 252 Cal.App.2d 120, 60 Cal.Rptr. 1 (1967), the motor vehicle was being driven by the spouse to whom the insurance policy was issued and the injured spouse was a passenger in the motor vehicle. [298]*298Both cases involved insurance policies which defined “named insured” as including a spouse living in the same household with the policy holder and both policies excluded from coverage bodily injuries to the named insured. The court in these cases held the injured spouse to be properly ex-cludable under the provisions of California’s Financial Responsibility Laws. However, unlike Arizona, a section of California’s Financial Responsibility Law (Sec. 16454 of the Vehicle Code) specifically provides that the liability policy need not cover any liabilities for injury to the assured.

Appellees contend that the foregoing California cases have been overruled by the case of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Jacober, 10 Cal.3d 193, 110 Cal.Rptr. 1, 514 P.2d 953 (1973). We do not agree. State Farm v. Jacober, supra, involves three consolidated cases with a factual situation distinct from the earlier California cases. In all three cases, the driver of the car was not one of the spouses but was a permissive driver. Furthermore, the exclusionary clause in Jacober was different from that contained in Farmers Insurance Exchange v. Brown, supra, and Farmers Insurance Exchange v. Geyer, supra. In the latter cases the exclusionary clause specifically withheld coverage for injuries to the “named insured”. In Jacober, the exclusionary clause merely referred to “the insured” which the Supreme Court of California held to be ambiguous and therefore resolved the issue in favor of coverage. We note that in the case sub judice the exclusionary clause does not have the infirmity noted by the Court in Jacober, but rather specifically refers to the “named insured.”

Although the State of Arizona does not have the specific statutory exclusion of the assured as does California, our Supreme Court in New York Underwriters read into the statute such an exclusion. With all due respect to our Supreme Court, we believe that there is a restriction in the statute which prevents an individual from contracting with his insurance carrier to exclude his own personal recovery under the policy terms in the event of his own injury.

A.R.S. Sec. 28-1170(B) (2), referring to the required contents of a policy of liability insurance, states that the policy must comply with the following requirement:

“It shall insure the person named therein and any other person, as insured, using the motor vehicle or motor vehicles with the express or implied permission of the named insured, against loss from the liability imposed by law for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of the motor vehicle . . ..”

(Emphasis added)

In New York Underwriters the driver of the car was a permissive driver. The Act requires the insurer to cover the insured “against loss from the liability imposed by law” and does not distinguish between classes of injured persons in affording a permissive user coverage under the statutory omnibus clause. The statute could not be more clear. Furthermore, the portion of our Act designating permitted exclusions is silent as to any exclusion for the insured’s injuries. The State of New Jersey in the case of Kish v. Motor Club of America Insurance Company, 108 N.J.Super. 405, 261 A.2d 662

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
543 P.2d 134, 25 Ariz. App. 296, 1975 Ariz. App. LEXIS 868, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/farmers-insurance-v-norden-arizctapp-1975.