Illinois Union Insurance v. Hydro International, PLC

929 F. Supp. 2d 365, 2013 WL 943090, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33265
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 11, 2013
DocketNo. 3:12-cv-0511
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 929 F. Supp. 2d 365 (Illinois Union Insurance v. Hydro International, PLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Illinois Union Insurance v. Hydro International, PLC, 929 F. Supp. 2d 365, 2013 WL 943090, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33265 (M.D. Pa. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROBERT D. MARIANI, District Judge.

The present insurance coverage dispute is now before the Court by way of Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment. The parties have fully briefed the issues, and provided a comprehensive statement of undisputed facts. (See Defs.’ Ans. to SMF, ECF Dkt. 30.) The matter is now ripe for disposition.

THE PARTIES’ STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED FACTS

Plaintiff Illinois Union Insurance Company (“Plaintiff’) issued an insurance policy to Hydro International Holdings, Inc. “with an effective period of August 1, 2010 to August 1, 2011 (the IUIC Policy”). (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 1, ECF Dkt. 30.) The IUIC Policy was issued by Plaintiff at Defendants headquarters in Oregon, and bore the policy number G24151785001. (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 1.) “The IUIC Policy affords coverage under a Commercial General Liability Coverage Part (the “CGL Part”) to Hydro International Holdings, Inc., HIL Technology, Inc. and Eutek Systems, Inc.” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶2.) Coverage A of the CGL Part provides, in pertinent part:

a. We will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of ‘bodily injury’ or ‘property damage’ to which this insurance applies. We will have the right and the duty to defend the insured against any ‘suit’ seeking those damages. However, we will have no duty to defend the insured against any ‘suit’
seeking damages to which this insurance does not apply....”
b. This insurance applies to ‘bodily injury’ and ‘property damage’ only if:
(1) The ‘bodily injury’ or ‘property damage’ is caused by an ‘occurrence’ that takes place in the coverage territory.”

(Deb.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 3.)

The CGL Part defines an occurrence as “an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 4.) “Property damage” is defined by the CGL Part as:

a. Physical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of that property. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the physical injury that caused it; or
b. Loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the “occurrence” that caused it.

(Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 5.)

The CGL Part further defines “Your product” as:

(1) Any goods or products, other than real property, manufactured, sold, handled, distributed or disposed of by:
(i) You;
(ii) Others trading under your name; or
(iii) A person or organization whose business or assets you have acquired; and
(2) Containers (other than vehicles), materials, parts or equipment furnished [368]*368in connection with such goods or products.

(Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 6.)

The CGL Part also defines “ ‘[y]our product’ to include, in relevant part: ‘(1) Warranties or representations made at any time with respect to the fitness, quality, durability, performance or use of ‘your product’.... ” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 7.) “Your work” is defined by the CGL Part to mean: “(1) [w]ork or operations performed by you or on your behalf; and (2) [mjaterials, parts or equipment furnished in connection with such work or operations.” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 8.) It also defines “your work” to include, in pertinent part, “(1) [wjarranties or representations made at any time with respect to the fitness, quality, durability, performance or use of ‘your work’.... ” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 9.)

“Impaired property,” under the CGL Part is defined as:

Tangible property, other than ‘your product of your work’, that cannot be used or is less useful because
a. It incorporates ‘your product’ or ‘your work’ that is known or thought to be defective, deficient, inadequate or dangerous; or
b. You have failed to fulfill the terms of a contract or agreement;
If such property can be restored to use by:
a. The repair, replacement, adjustment or removal of ‘your product’ or ‘your work’; or
b. Your fulfilling the terms of the contract or agreement.

(Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 10.)

The CGL Part contains an exclusion that provides that the policy does not apply to “ ‘[pjroperty damage’ to ‘your product’ arising out of it or any part of it.” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 11.) The CGL Part contains an additional exclusion that provides that the insurance does not apply to “ ‘[pjroperty damage’ to ‘your work’ arising out of it or any part of it and included in the ‘products-completed operations hazard.’ ” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 12.) Exclusion m, however, of the CGL Part provides that the insurance does not apply to, in relevant part:

‘Property damage’ to ‘impaired property’ or property that has not been physically injured, arising out of:
(1) A defect, deficiency, inadequacy or dangerous condition in ‘your product’ or ‘your work’; or
(2) A delay or failure by you or anyone acting on your behalf to perform a contract or agreement in accordance with its terms.
This exclusion does not apply to the loss of use of other property arising out of sudden and accidental physical injury to ‘your product’ or ‘your work’ after it has been put to its intended use.

(Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 13.)

In addition to the CGL Part, the IUIC Policy provides protection under the Contractors Pollution Liability Coverage Part (the “Pollution Liability Part”). (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 14.) The Pollution Liability Part provides, in pertinent part:

1. We will pay those sums as damages that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury or property damage to which this insurance applies. We shall have the right and duty to defend the insured against any claim or suit seeking those damages. However, we shall have no duty to defend the insured against any claim or suit seeking damages for bodily injury or property damage to which his insurance does not apply.

(Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 15.)

The Pollution Liability Part provides coverage for “loss,” which is defined, in [369]*369pertinent part, as “property damage, neither expected nor intended from the standpoint of the insured, caused by or resulting from a ‘pollution condition.’ ” (Defs.’ Ans. to SMF at ¶ 16.) A “pollution condition” is defined as “the discharge, dispersal, release, escape, migration, or seepage of any solid, liquid, gaseous or thermal, material matter, irritant, or contaminant, including smoke, soot, vapors, fumes, acids, alkalis, chemicals, hazardous substances, hazardous materials, on, into, or upon land and structures thereupon, the atmosphere, surface water, or groundwater.” (Defs.’ Ans.

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Bluebook (online)
929 F. Supp. 2d 365, 2013 WL 943090, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33265, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/illinois-union-insurance-v-hydro-international-plc-pamd-2013.