Holzknecht v. Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.

320 S.W.3d 115, 2010 Ky. App. LEXIS 143, 2010 WL 3187645
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky
DecidedAugust 13, 2010
Docket2009-CA-001022-MR
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 320 S.W.3d 115 (Holzknecht v. Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holzknecht v. Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., 320 S.W.3d 115, 2010 Ky. App. LEXIS 143, 2010 WL 3187645 (Ky. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

OPINION

COMBS, Judge:

This case involves a dispute as to coverage under a homeowner’s insurance policy. Sarah Holzknecht, as mother and next friend of Meghan Holzknecht, appeals from a summary judgment entered by the Hardin Circuit Court in favor of Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company (Farm Bureau). The trial court held that the policy was unambiguous in excluding coverage for injury arising out of an insured’s “business pursuit.” The court concluded that the exclusion applied to bar coverage under the circumstances of this case, a result challenged by Holzknecht on appeal. In the alternative, Holzknecht contends that the exclusion clause is subject to the policy’s severability provision. After our review of counsels’ arguments and the pertinent law, we affirm.

On January 23, 2008, Sarah Holzknecht filed a complaint against Sherri May, John David May, and Farm Bureau, the Mays’ homeowner’s insurance carrier. Hol-zknecht alleged that the Mays were liable for injuries sustained by her daughter at a home-based child care business operated by the Mays. A dog kept at the Mays’ day care attacked and mauled Meghan. Hol-zknecht claimed that the Mays failed to exercise ordinary care for the safety of her *117 child; additionally, she asserted liability under the provisions of Kentucky Revised Statute(s)(KRS) 258.235(4), which provides that the keeper of a dog shall be responsible for the damage that it causes. Farm Bureau defended the action under a reservation of rights.

After the Mays were deposed, Farm Bureau filed a petition for declaration of rights pursuant to KRS 418.040. Farm Bureau alleged that it was under no obligation to defend or to indemnify the Mays with respect to the underlying tort action because: (1) the homeowners had declared to Farm Bureau that no business enterprise would be undertaken at the home and (2) their policy specifically excluded coverage for personal liability arising out of or in connection with a business pursuit. Farm Bureau next filed a motion for summary judgment.

In its memorandum in support of the motion for summary judgment, Farm Bureau argued that the clear and unambiguous language of the homeowner’s policy put the Mays on notice that coverage was excluded with respect to any injuries arising out of or in connection with the home-based day care service. Holzknecht responded to the motion, arguing that the facts and circumstances underlying the tort action against the Mays compelled coverage pursuant to the terms of the policy.

The trial court concluded that the Mays’ misrepresentation concerning the operation of a day care business would — in and of itself — disqualify them from coverage. Additionally, the trial court concluded that the policy specifically and unambiguously excluded coverage for personal liability arising from the business. Holzknecht argued that the policy should nevertheless provide coverage since a dog mauling is the type of event that might have occurred regardless of a business activity conducted at the Mays’ home. The court disagreed. It also rejected Holzknecht’s argument in the alternative that the exclusion clause could and should be severed with respect to John David, entitling him to coverage since he did not operate the day care business. The court entered summary judgment in favor of Farm Bureau. This appeal followed.

On appeal, Holzknecht presents two issues for our review. First, she contends that the trial court erred by concluding that the policy’s “business pursuits” exclusion was unambiguous and bars coverage for the tort claim. Next, Holzknecht contends that the trial court erred by failing to conclude that the exclusion clause was severable as to the coverage available to John David May. We shall address these issues in the order in which they were presented by the parties’ briefs.

Summary judgment serves to terminate litigation where “the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, stipulations, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Kentucky Rule[s] of Civil Procedure 56.03. Summary judgment should be granted only if it appears impossible that the nonmoving party will be able to produce evidence at trial warranting a judgment in his favor. Steelvest, Inc. v. Scansteel Service Center, Inc., 807 S.W.2d 476 (Ky.1991). Summary judgment “is proper where the movant shows that the adverse party could not prevail under any circumstances.” Id., citing Paintsville Hosp. Co. v. Rose, 683 S.W.2d 255 (Ky.1985).

On appeal, we must consider whether the trial court correctly determined that there were no genuine issues of material fact and that the moving party was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. *118 Scifres v. Kraft, 916 S.W.2d 779 (Ky.App.1996). Since summary judgment involves only questions of law and not the resolution of disputed material facts, an appellate court does not defer to the trial court’s decision. Goldsmith v. Allied Building Components, Inc., 833 S.W.2d 378 (Ky.1992). Our review is de novo.

The interpretation of an insurance policy often presents a pure question of law, rendering it appropriate for summary judgment. See Stone v. Kentucky Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 34 S.W.3d 809 (Ky.App.2000). Terms of a policy will be given their plain and ordinary meaning. City of Louisville v. McDonald, 819 S.W.2d 319 (Ky.App.1991). Where the terms of the policy are clear and unambiguous, they must be enforced as drafted. Osborne v. Unigard Indem. Co., 719 S.W.2d 737 (Ky.App.1986).

Holzknecht argues .first that the trial court erred by granting summary judgment in favor of Farm Bureau based on the business pursuits exclusion of the homeowner’s policy. She argues that the exclusion is inapplicable under the facts and circumstances of this case.

The policy language at issue provides as follows:

SECTION II — EXCLUSIONS
1. Coverage E — Personal Liability and Coverage F — Medical Payments to Others do not apply to “bodily injury” or “property damage”:
⅜: ⅜ ⅜ ⅜ ⅜
b.

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Bluebook (online)
320 S.W.3d 115, 2010 Ky. App. LEXIS 143, 2010 WL 3187645, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holzknecht-v-kentucky-farm-bureau-mutual-insurance-co-kyctapp-2010.