Howard v. Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company

342 F. Supp. 1125, 1972 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13535
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Arkansas
DecidedMay 26, 1972
DocketF-71-C-4
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 342 F. Supp. 1125 (Howard v. Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Howard v. Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company, 342 F. Supp. 1125, 1972 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13535 (W.D. Ark. 1972).

Opinion

OPINION

JOHN E. MILLER, Senior District Judge (Sitting by Designation).

There is before the court cross motions for summary judgment. The motion of defendant was filed April 4, 1972. On May 3, 1972, plaintiff filed his response to the motion of defendant, together with his motion for summary judgment against defendant on the limited issue of whether the defendant insurer has extended uninsured motorist coverage to the plaintiff.

The complaint was filed October 26, 1971, by A. L. Howard, father and next friend of Freddie Ray Howard, a minor (Freddie Ray). It is alleged that he is and was a citizen and resident of Benton County, Arkansas; that the defendant, Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company (defendant), is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Indiana and is authorized to do business in Arkansas but with no principal place of business in Arkansas; that the matter in controversy exceeds $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs; that an accident occurred on April 23, 1969, involving Freddie Ray Howard, the minor son of plaintiff, who was living in the same household with plaintiff and therefore an insured under the policy of defendant, with a vehicle driven by Walter J. Grimes, an uninsured motorist within the definition of defendant’s insurance policy; that Walter Grimes was negligent and that Freddie Ray suffered severe and permanent injuries; and that under the terms of the policy plaintiff is entitled to reimbursement in the sum of $10,000. That defendant had issued its policy No. ACE 4 28 92 to A. L. Howard prior to the time of the accident and that it was in full force and effect on April 23, 1969, the date of the accident.

In addition, plaintiff alleged that the policy issued by defendant provided for payments for medical expenses to an insured in the sum of $2,000, and that A. L. Howard has incurred medical expenses far in excess of $2,000 as a result of the injuries to his son. That because of defendant's action in withholding payment under the terms of the policy, he is entitled to recover the amount of his loss, $12,000, and, pursuant to Ark.Stat.Ann., § 66-3238, penalties in the sum of 12 percent of his damages, and all reasonable attorney’s fees for prosecution and collection of said loss.

On December 13, 1971, the defendant filed its answer admitting that its policy was in effect on April 23, 1969, but alleging that any injuries received by Freddie Ray were proximately caused by his own negligence and bar any right of recovery.

On January 20, 1972, the defendant filed a motion requesting the court’s permission to file a third-party complaint for judgment against Walter J. Grimes, the alleged uninsured motorist, in the sum which defendant might be adjudged liable to plaintiff. The court granted the motion, and on the. same day the third-party complaint was filed.

On February 9, 1972, the third-party defendant filed his answer denying any negligence on his part, and alleged that the court has no jurisdiction over him, or the subject matter of the third-party complaint since this defendant has paid plaintiff nothing at this point.

*1127 The defendant in its motion for summary judgment admitted that Freddie Ray was riding on a motorcycle at the time of the accident; that A. L. Howard was the holder of a special combination automobile policy issued by the defendant, which afforded uninsured motorist coverage to the said A. L. Howard and members of his family, and that Freddie Ray suffered personal injuries in the aforementioned collision.

The defendant further stated that it is undisputed that the motorcycle that Freddie Ray was riding was owned by A. L. Howard, and that it was not an insured vehicle under the policy; that under the exclusionary language of its policy the plaintiff is not afforded uninsured motorist coverage; and that since there is no genuine issue of material fact, the defendant and third-party plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.

In the response to the motion for summary judgment of the insurer, plaintiff admitted that the exclusionary clause as alleged by the defendant in its motion is the correct wording in the policy in question, and that the motorcycle driven by plaintiff’s son was owned by the plaintiff and was not an insured vehicle listed in the policy.

Plaintiff agreed that there was no genuine issue as to any material fact, but strenuously argues that the exclusionary provision of the policy should not be applied to exclude coverage to the plaintiff.

In the policy under the “Exclusions” section the following appears:

“Exclusions: This policy does not apply:
•X* ■Jf •?£ -s-r
“(q) to bodily injury to an insured while occupying a highway vehicle (other than an insured automobile) owned by the named insured or by any person resident in the same household who is related to the named insured by blood, marriage or adoption, or though being struck by such a vehicle;” (Emphasis supplied.)

Attached to the motion of the defendant insurer is the affidavit of A. H. Ferrari, Manager of the Automobile and Casualty Claims Department of the Western Department of Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company. In the affidavit Mr. Ferrari stated that the policy issued to plaintiff' was in full force and effect on April 23, 1969, and that said policy had been submitted to the Insurance Department of the State of Arkansas in 1962 and the form of the policy was approved by the Insurance Commissioner on November 13, 1962.

Attached to the motion of plaintiff is a certificate from the State Insurance Commissioner stating that there have been no additions, corrections or deletions, nor has any action been requested or taken by the Insurance Department concerning said policy since November 13, 1962. Also attached was a copy of the policy. Exhibit B to the plaintiff’s motion is a letter dated April 22, 1970, from the Insurance Department to Mr. Eldon F. Coffman, attorney of record for plaintiff, the pertinent section of which is as follows:

“We have your letter of April 20, 1970, regarding the provisions under the uninsured motorist coverage of the Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company. The coverage, as approved by this Department, is standardized, which means there is no variation regardless of the company policy or endorsement. I am attaching two copies of the endorsement and call your attention to two amendments.”

Exhibit C to the plaintiff’s motion is the endorsement approved by the Insurance Department. In the endorsement the exclusion relied on by the plaintiff is stated as follows:

“This endorsement does not apply:

* * * * ->:■
“(b) to bodily injury to an insured while occupying an automobile (other than an insured automobile) owned by a named insured or any *1128 relative resident in the same household, or through being struck by such an automobile * * (Emphasis supplied.)

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
342 F. Supp. 1125, 1972 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13535, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/howard-v-grain-dealers-mutual-insurance-company-arwd-1972.