Guardian Insurance Co. of Canada v. Liberty Mutual Insurance

742 F. Supp. 626, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11164, 1990 WL 122419
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedAugust 14, 1990
DocketNo. 88-1133-CIV-T-17(C)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 742 F. Supp. 626 (Guardian Insurance Co. of Canada v. Liberty Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Guardian Insurance Co. of Canada v. Liberty Mutual Insurance, 742 F. Supp. 626, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11164, 1990 WL 122419 (M.D. Fla. 1990).

Opinion

ORDER ON MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

KOVACHEVICH, District Judge.

This cause is before the Court on both parties’ motions for summary judgment.

FACTS

The uncontroverted facts in this case are:

1. Edward L. French (Mr. French) rented a car from Alamo Rent-A-Car, Inc. (Alamo) and was involved in an accident on or about May 5, 1986. Thereafter, a civil action for damages against Mr. French and Alamo was filed by the operator of the other vehicle.

2. Mr. French was the active tortfeasor in the accident and was, at all times material, insured by Guardian Insurance Company of Canada (Guardian).

3. Alamo was, at all times material, insured by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company (Liberty).

4. As a result of the motor vehicle accident, Liberty defended Mr. French and Alamo, and Liberty settled and paid the injured plaintiff’s claim for $98,000.

5. Liberty concedes that, pursuant to Florida Statute Section 324.021(7), it insured Alamo and Mr. French for the $10,-000 financial responsibility limits.

6. Mr. French and Guardian refuse to provide indemnification to Liberty for the settlement amount in excess of the first $10,000.

7. The insurance policy written by Guardian for Mr. French contained an “other insurance” clause which provided that “if at the time of a loss covered by this Policy there is other valid and collectible insurance ... which would attach if this insurance had not been effected, [Guardian] shall be liable only for the excess, if any, of loss over the applicable limit of such other valid and collectible insurance covering such loss.”

8. The insurance policy written by Liberty for Alamo provided that “[ajnyone else is an insured while using with your permission a covered auto you own, hire, or borrow.... ” This language was qualified, [627]*627however, by another clause which stated that “[f]or any covered auto you own, this policy provides primary insurance^ but f]or any covered auto you don’t own, the insurance provided by this policy is excess over any other collectible insurance.”

9. The Liberty policy also stated that “[t]he insurance provided by this policy is subject to the terms, including any limit of liability, conditions, restrictions and limitations contained in the lease or rental agreement, provided our undertaking under this policy is not enlarged or extended.”

10. Finally, the language on the back of the rental agreement between Mr. French (I) and Alamo (You) stated that:

Liability Insurance. Anyone permitted by this Agreement to drive the car will be protected against liability for causing bodily injury, death or property damage up to the minimum limits of coverage required by State Law.... Basic no fault insurance coverage is provided where and to the extent the law requires, but I understand that you will not provide supplementary, optional or uninsured motorist coverages and you and I reject such other coverages to the extent permitted by law.... I also agree to indemnify you for any loss, liability or expense arising out of the use of the car that you may have which exceeds the limits of liability insurance stated above.

DISCUSSION

This circuit clearly holds that summary judgment should only be entered when the moving party has sustained its burden of showing the absence of a genuine issue as to any material fact when all the evidence is viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Sweat v. The Miller Brewing Co., 708 F.2d 655 (11th Cir.1983). All doubt as to the existence of a genuine issue of material fact must be resolved against the moving party. Hayden v. First National Bank of Mt. Pleasant, 595 F.2d 994, 996-7 (5th Cir.1979), quoting Gross v. Southern Railroad Co., 414 F.2d 292 (5th Cir.1969). Factual disputes preclude summary judgment.

The Supreme Court of the United States held, in Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986),

In our view the plain language of Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment, after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.

Id. at 322, 106 S.Ct. at 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d at 273.

The Court also said, “Rule 56(e) therefore requires that non-moving party to go beyond the pleadings and by her own affidavits, or by the ‘depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file,' designate ‘specific facts showing there is a genuine issue for trial.’ ” Celotex Corp. at 323, 106 S.Ct. at 2553, 91 L.Ed.2d at 274. The Court is satisfied, and the parties have stipulated, that no factual issues are in dispute which would prevent entry of summary judgment. Before the Court is a question of law as to whether Liberty or Guardian is responsible for the claim settlement amount in excess of the undisputed, initial $10,000.

In its insurance policy with Mr. French, Guardian has a valid “other insurance” clause which attempts to make Guardian the secondary insurer for liabilities incurred by Mr. French when other collectible insurance exists. However, Liberty’s policy with Alamo also has certain clauses which attempt to limit Liberty’s financial responsibility by relegating Liberty to the position of secondary insurer.

In several cases, the Supreme Court of Florida has discussed the issue of priority among insurers when “other insurance” clauses exist. In Allstate Ins. Co. v. Fowler, 480 So.2d 1287, 1288-89 (Fla.1985), a dispute much like that in the instant case arose between the insurers of an automobile lessor and a negligent lessee. The policy between the lessee and his insurer had an “other insurance” clause, similar to that in Guardian’s policy, since it limited the insurer’s liability to the excess over other applicable insurance when the in[628]*628sured was using a nonowned auto. Id. at 1289. The court in Fowler held that in some cases courts can disregard “other insurance” clauses existing in the negligent lessee’s insurance policy, and, in those cases, the lessor’s insurer is thus indemnified by the driver’s carrier. Id. at 1290. However, before a court can disregard the clause, “[f]irst, the insurance policy issued to the vicariously liable party [the lessor] must not cover the active tortfeasor as an additional insured.” Id. “Second, the vicariously liable party must not be a joint tortfeasor.” Id.

In the instant case, it is not argued that Liberty was a joint tortfeasor.- This Court must only determine whether Liberty’s policy, as the lessor’s insurer, covers Mr. French, the lessee and active tortfeasor. Once this is determined, this Court can determine, in accordance with Fowler, whether Guardian’s “other insurance” clause can be disregarded so that Guardian must indemnify Liberty.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
742 F. Supp. 626, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11164, 1990 WL 122419, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/guardian-insurance-co-of-canada-v-liberty-mutual-insurance-flmd-1990.