Great Southwest Fire Insurance v. H. v. Corp.

658 P.2d 337, 3 Haw. App. 664, 1983 Haw. App. LEXIS 87
CourtHawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 26, 1983
DocketNO. 8044
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 658 P.2d 337 (Great Southwest Fire Insurance v. H. v. Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Great Southwest Fire Insurance v. H. v. Corp., 658 P.2d 337, 3 Haw. App. 664, 1983 Haw. App. LEXIS 87 (hawapp 1983).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

BURNS, C.J.

Defendants-Appellants H. V. Corporation, Yun Hee Im, and Su Duk Kim (appellants) appeal the summary judgment in favor of plaintiff-appellee Great Southwest Fire Insurance Company (Great Southwest) that Great Southwest has no insurance coverage for and no duty to defend H. V. Corporation and Yun Hee Im in a suit against them by Su Duk Kim. As to this appeal, we reverse.

Appellants also appeal the denial of their cross-motion for summary judgment that there is coverage and Great Southwest has a duty to defend. As to this appeal, we affirm.

*665 The dispositive issue is whether, viewed in the light most favorable to the side opposing the summary judgment, the pleading, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, and affidavits on file show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the side seeking the summary judgment is entitled to it as a matter of law. Rule 56(c), Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure (HRCP). Viewed in that light, neither side is entitled to summary judgment.

In 1977, through its general agent Triad Insurance Agency, Inc. (Triad), Great Southwest issued Policy No. GL 50705 to “C.B.Y. LUM, INC., LESSOR & H. V. CORPORATION DBA BONANZA, LESSEE.” The policy was for a term from June 1, 1977 to June 1, 1978. It covered “OWNERS’, LANDLORDS’ & TENANTS’ LIABILITY INS.”; “COMPLETED OPERATIONS AND PRODUCTS LIABILITY INS.”; and “PREMISES MEDICAL PAYMENTS INSURANCE.” It described the operations at the premises as “RESTAURANTS.” The record does not describe what kind of business was actually conducted by Bonanza.

In the latter part of 1977, Yun Hee Im became the sole stockholder, president, and general manager of H. V. Corporation. She changed the business name from Bonanza to Yun Hee Lounge and operated a cocktail lounge. She contacted Ed Takeyama, a sales agent for National Mortgage & Finance Co., Ltd. (National Mortgage), concerning the lounge’s insurance requirements. Takeyama contacted National Mortgage, who was a general agent for certain insurance companies but not for Great Southwest. National Mortgage contacted Triad, who was a general agent for Great Southwest. Eventually, Great Southwest issued Policy No. GL 68628 for a term fromJune9,1978toJune9,1979.The insureds were the same as in Policy No. GL 50705 except that the business name was changed from Bonanza to Yun Hee. The coverage was the same except that the “PREMISES MEDICAL PAYMENTS INSURANCE” had been omitted.

Triad billed National Mortgage who in turn billed Yun Hee Im and H. V. Corporation. When H. V. Corporation paid National Mortgage, the latter remitted the payment less its commissions to Triad. From its commissions, National Mortgage paid Takeyama a solicitor’s commission.

On September 28,1978, at approximately the lounge’s 2:00 a.m. *666 closing time, a fight broke out between customer Su Duk Kim and Nam Soo Kim, the husband of lounge employee Nam Poon Yu. The fight was brief and ended when Nam Soo Kim stabbed Su Duk Kim in the abdomen with a knife, causing serious injuries.

On November 1, 1978, Su Duk Kim sued Nam Soo Kim, Yun Hee Im, and H. V. Corporation in First Circuit Civil No. 56119, alleging three causes of action:

[L] [T]hat said act of Nam Soo Kim was negligent, careless, malicious, intentional, reckless and grossly negligent.
[2.] That at said time and place Defendants H. V. Corporation and Im was [sic] negligent and careless in that it [sic] allowed persons to enter said lounge and bar after its closing hours, permitting drinking of alcoholic beverages after closing time, allowing its employee to become intoxicated while working in said premises, having no employee on duty to provide protection of its patrons and guests from dangerous people or persons; that Defendants knew or should have known that serious injury to its patrons or guests would occur, because of the nature of said business it was conducting, if adequate and proper supervision and control over its employees, guest and patrons were not enforced; likewise, if its employees did not comply with the rules and regulations of the Liquor Commission, aforesaid.
That the actions and conduct of Defendants were malicious, grossly negligent, reckless and intentional and therefore asks punitive and exemplory [sic] damages in the sum of $250,000.00.

On or about November 8, 1978, Great Southwest’s agent asked Yun Hee Im to consent to its defending her and H. V. Corporation in Civil No. 56119 without waiver of its right to deny coverage because of policy exclusions or other reasons. Yun Hee Im refused to sign such a nonwaiver of reservation of rights agreement. Thereafter, Great Southwest retained an attorney to defend H. V. Corporation and Yun Hee Im in Civil No. 56119.

On November 29, 1978, Great Southwest sued H. V. Corporation, Yun Hee Im, and Su Duk Kim for declaratory relief, contending:

7. The policy of insurance . . . specifically excludes coverage for injuries inflicted as the result of an assault and battery whether said assault and battery is perpetrated by the insured or *667 by any third party.
8. By virtue of the assault and battery exclusion Plaintiff GREAT SOUTHWEST provides no liability coverage for H. V. CORPORATION and/or YUN HEE IM with respect to to [sic] the injuries and damages as alleged.. .., has no duty to defend the said H. V. CORPORATION and/or YUN HEE IM with respect to any of the claims made in Civil Number 56119, and has no obligation to pay any judgment that may be awarded in favor of SU DUK KIM in Civil Number 56119.
10. The policy of insurance issued by Plaintiff GREAT SOUTHWEST . . . specifically excludes any coverage for punitive or exemplary damages.

On March 18, 1980, Great Southwest moved for summary judgment. Its memorandum in support of its motion cited an additional basis: exclusion of liability relating to the dispensing of alcoholic beverages.

On April 3, 1980, Yun Hee Im and H. V. Corporation filed a cross-motion for summary judgment. Su Duk Kim later joined in. The cross-motion claimed:

1. That Great Southwest waived its defenses by defending the insureds after they refused to sign a nonwaiver or reservation of rights agreement.
2. That Great Southwest may not enforce an exclusion which it did not bring to the attention of the insured.
3. The assault and battery exclusion is ambiguous and should be strictly construed against the insured.
4. The alcoholic beverage exclusion does not exclude all of the allegations against the insureds.

On July 8, 1980, the lower court granted Great Southwest’s motion and denied the cross-motion. On July 18, 1980, H. V. Corporation and Yun Hee Im moved under Rule 59(e) to alter or amend the judgment which motion was denied on August 12,1980. Before the motion was denied, however, H. V. Corporation and Yun Hee Im filed their notice of appeal on August 7, 1980.

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Bluebook (online)
658 P.2d 337, 3 Haw. App. 664, 1983 Haw. App. LEXIS 87, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/great-southwest-fire-insurance-v-h-v-corp-hawapp-1983.