Fireman's Fund Insurance v. Sneed's Shipbuilding, Inc.

803 F. Supp. 2d 530, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29322, 2011 WL 1103649
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Louisiana
DecidedMarch 22, 2011
DocketCivil Action No. 08-4882
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 803 F. Supp. 2d 530 (Fireman's Fund Insurance v. Sneed's Shipbuilding, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Louisiana primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fireman's Fund Insurance v. Sneed's Shipbuilding, Inc., 803 F. Supp. 2d 530, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29322, 2011 WL 1103649 (E.D. La. 2011).

Opinion

[533]*533 ORDER & REASONS

ELDON E. FALLON, District Judge.

Before the Court are two motions for summary judgment brought by consolidated declaratory Plaintiffs Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company (“Fireman’s”) (Rec. Doc. 62) and Federal Insurance Company (“Federal”). For the following reasons, these motions are now GRANTED.

I. BACKGROUND

These consolidated declaratory judgment actions arise from construction of a dry dock by Sneed’s Shipbuilding, Inc. (“Sneed”) for Superior Shipyard and Fabrication, Inc. (“Superior”). The dry dock was allegedly not built in a workmanlike manner and litigation has ensued. In these actions, Sneed’s insurers seek declaratory judgment that they are not liable to indemnify or defend Sneed for suit brought against it by Superior.

The disputes arising out of construction of the dry dock have been litigated in three different venues. First, the litigation was set off by Superior’s petition in Louisiana state court against Sneed and its president Martin Sneed alleging (a) that the dry dock failed to meet contract specifications; (b) that Sneed had breached their warranty; and (c) that Superior was entitled to lost profits. Sneed thereafter requested defense and indemnity from Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. (“Fireman’s”) pursuant to a builder’s risk policy and from Federal Insurance Co. (“Federal”) pursuant to a marine general liability policy. Both insurers denied coverage under the respective policies for the claims asserted by Superior relying on various exclusions contained therein. On February 7, 2008, the state court litigation was transferred to the 17th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Lafourche. On July 21, 2008, Superior amended its petition to add Fireman’s and Federal as defendants pursuant to Louisiana’s direct action statute. On June 22nd, 2009, the 17th Judicial District Court held that Superior’s tort claims against Sneed had prescribed, and therefore the court dismissed Superi- or’s direct claims against Fireman’s and Federal with prejudice without deciding coverage, At oral argument, the parties stated that the 17th JDC action is completely resolved and that Superior and Sneed have settled their contract dispute.

Second, there are the two consolidated declaratory actions in this Court. On November 12, 2008, Fireman’s filed suit in this Court seeking a declaratory judgment that there is no coverage under the policy. On November 18, 2008, Federal filed a similar declaratory judgment action. Jurisdiction of this Court is premised on federal maritime jurisdiction, or alternatively, diversity.1 These cases were consolidated on December 12, 2008. On January 4, 2009, the Court denied a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction but stayed the consolidated actions pending the August 10, 2010 trial date in the state court proceeding.

Third, there is a suit pending in Texas state court. On October 30, 2009, Sneed filed suit against Federal and Fireman’s as well as their agents in Orange County, Texas, under the Texas Business & Commerce Code and the Texas Insurance Code for deceptive trade practices and fraud and misrepresentation arising out of the sale of the policies.

Fireman’s and Federal moved in this Court to lift the stay based on developments in the Louisiana and Texas state court proceedings. The Court lifted this stay on October 1, 2010 at a status confer[534]*534ence, because it appeared that neither the stayed 17th JDC case nor the Texas state court case would decide the question of coverage under the terms of the policies.

b. The Original State Court Allegations and Summary Judgment Record

Superior filed suit against Sneed and its president, Martin Sneed. The petition alleged that the dry dock did not meet specifications because:

1. Many portions of the vessel were not properly welded, including, but not limited to, brackets, corners, and access ports;
2. There are numerous gouges at the bottom of the dry dock;
3. The Carboline coating system was improperly applied on both the interior and exterior of the dry dock causing rust, cracking, and peeling;
4. Dirt and sand were painted over thereby causing an unsafe and hazardous condition; and
5. Other deficiencies that shall be identified at the time of trial.

Superior alleged that these errors made the dry dock defective and breached Sneed’s warranty of good workmanship. Superior sought recovery under theories of breach of warranty and redhibition for its expenses, damages, lost profits and loss of income, as well as attorney’s fees.

The parties have submitted little summary judgment evidence. Fireman’s provides an excerpt from the deposition of Martin Sneed, president of Sneed, who testified that there was no collision, allision, or stranding of the dry dock while it was at the shipyard.

II. LAW & ANALYSIS

A. Preliminary issues

1. Stay

Sneed urges that the Court should stay these consolidated cases again. The Court has previously lifted the stay and no facts have changed to warrant imposing the stay again. The 17th JDC case is completely resolved, including any appeals from orders in that ease. The Texas state court case does not appear likely to resolve the questions of coverage under the policy. According to Sneed, the “fact issues pending in Texas will be regarding the statements/actions of [agents for the insurers] in the act of selling the insurance policies.” (Rec. Doc. 74 at 4). Thus, there appears to be no good cause to defer ruling in these declaratory actions.

2. Governing Law

The parties dispute whether the applicable law is Texas law or maritime law incorporating Texas law. Fireman’s argues that the Court should look at the insurance policy, not the underlying contract or the nature of the object insured, to determine whether the policy is a maritime contract governed by maritime law. Fireman’s urges that “it is well-settled that a marine insurance policy is a maritime contract with federal admiralty jurisdiction.” Albany Ins. Co. v. Anh Thi Kieu, 927 F.2d 882, 886 n. 2 (5th Cir.1991). It urges that its builder’s risk policy for a dry dock is a marine insurance contract, even if it covers a construction project with non-maritime aspects. Cf. Hunt Const. Group, Inc. v. Allianz Global Risks U.S. Ins. Co., 503 F.3d 632, 634 (7th Cir.2007). Federal also argues that its marine general liability policy is a marine insurance contract governed by maritime law.

Sneed responds that the insured property was a dry dock, which is not a vessel, and that an insurance policy on a dry dock [535]*535cannot be a marine insurance contract. Sneed argues that the Court must look to the interest insured, not just the policy itself, to determine if an insurance policy is a maritime contract. See Royal Ins. Co. of Am. v. Pier 39 Ltd. P’ship, 738 F.2d 1035

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803 F. Supp. 2d 530, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29322, 2011 WL 1103649, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/firemans-fund-insurance-v-sneeds-shipbuilding-inc-laed-2011.