IMG Worldwide, Inc. v. Westchester Fire Insurance

945 F. Supp. 2d 873, 2013 WL 1975678, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 67618
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Ohio
DecidedMay 13, 2013
DocketCase No. 1:11 CV 1594
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 945 F. Supp. 2d 873 (IMG Worldwide, Inc. v. Westchester Fire Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
IMG Worldwide, Inc. v. Westchester Fire Insurance, 945 F. Supp. 2d 873, 2013 WL 1975678, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 67618 (N.D. Ohio 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

DONALD C. NUGENT, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court on the parties’ post-trial motions. The following motions are currently pending and will be addressed in this Opinion: (1) Defendant’s Motion for Directed Verdict and Judgment as a Matter of Law (ECF # 120, 121) (Response at ECF # 140; Reply at ECF # 144); (2) Plaintiffs Motion for Award of Prejudgment Interest (ECF # 117) (Response at ECF # 133; Reply at ECF # 142); (3) Plaintiffs Motion for Judgment in Favor of IMG on Westchester’s Duty to Defend (ECF # 116) (Response at ECF #132, 135; Reply at ECF #141); (4) Defendant’s Motion for Leave to File Third-Party Complaint Against Great Divide (ECF # 112) (Responses at ECF #130, 147. 150; Reply at ECF #138); and, (5) Defendant’s Motion for Declaratory Judgment with Respect to Reimbursement from Great Divide or in the Alternative a Set-off Based on the Settlement Agreement Between Great Divide and IMG (ECF #136) (Response at ECF # 145; Reply at ECF # 149). The Court heard oral arguments on each of these matters on April 11, 2013. The issues have now been fully briefed and argued, and are ready for disposition.

Procedural and Factual History

This case' was brought to determine whether the Defendant, Westchester Fire Insurance Company (“Westchester”) is obligated to pay the Plaintiffs, IMG World[876]*876wide, Inc. and IMG Academies, LLP (collectively “IMG”) for reimbursement of a settlement payment they made, and defense costs they incurred, in connection with the lawsuit Gastaldi, et al v. Sunvest Communities USA, LLC, et al, Case No. 08-62076-CIV (S.D.Fla., Miami 2009) (“the Gastaldi suit”). Defendant, Westchester is an excess insurance provider. Westchester and IMG entered into four separate year long Commercial Umbrella Liability Policies beginning on August 10 of 2005 and running through August 10 of 2009. The parties have not agreed on which policy or policies apply to the claims raised in the Gastaldi litigation, although they both agree that at least one policy would have been in effect during the relevant time period.1

The Gastaldi lawsuit stemmed from allegations that Sunvest and a co-developer, Cay Clubs International sold the Plaintiffs undeveloped properties with the promise that they would be upgraded and developed into high end condominiums. IMG allegedly made representations that it was in partnership with these developers and promised to build an IMG sports center in the development once it was built. IMG did not have any contractual obligation to actually develop the condominiums or the development property. Nonetheless, the Gastaldi court found that IMG could potentially be liable for some form of damages because it allegedly misrepresented its relationship with the developers in advertising and marketing materials in violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (“FDUTPA”).

The Gastaldi Plaintiffs originally sued IMG, Sunvest Communities USA, LLC and Sunvest Development, LLC (the Gastaldi developers) for fraud, conversion, civil theft, and violations of FDUTPA. (ECF # 1-1). The fraud, conversion, and theft claims were dismissed prior to the summary judgment stage and a Second Amended Complaint was filed alleging only the FDUTPA claim(s). Once the lawsuit was filed, IMG sought coverage from its primary carrier, Great Divide Insurance Company (“Great Divide”), and from its excess carrier, Westchester Fire Insurance Company (“Westchester”) for defense and indemnity from any judgment. Both carriers denied coverage and refused to provide a defense for IMG. Prior to trial, IMG settled the Gastaldi case for nearly five million dollars ($5,000,000.00), after having incurred defense costs of over eight million dollars ($8,000,000.00).2 Following the Gastaldi settlement, IMG continued to seek coverage for indemnity of the settlement amount, and the cost of defense from both carriers.

IMG’s primary insurer, Great Divide, originally denied coverage. However, after the settlement of the underlying case, and following a protracted period of negotiations, it agreed to pay the policy limits under its 2005-2006 policy. Great Divide also agreed to pay two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) toward IMG’s defense costs. (ECF # 146-2). In [877]*877exchange, IMG released Great Divide from any further liability under any and all Great Divide policies for any matters relating to the Gastaldi matter, including indemnity and defense costs. (ECF # 146-2). Westchester continued to deny coverage, and this lawsuit followed, culminating in a jury trial on the question of coverage.

At trial IMG presented evidence supporting its position that the Gastaldi settlement resolved any liability IMG may have had for damages suffered by the Gastaldi Plaintiffs due to “property damage” resulting from a “loss of use” of the properties they had purchased. IMG also argued that the loss of use of the properties was caused by an “occurrence” as defined in the Westchester policies. IMG argued throughout the trial, and again at oral argument on the post-trial motions, that the alleged “occurrence” was a downturn in the economy leading to the developers’ abandonment of the project. Westchester, on the other hand, argued that the damages sought by the Gastaldi Plaintiffs were not “property damage” as that term was defined by the policies, but rather a “loss on investment,” which was not covered under the policies. Westchester also argued that the only possible “occurrence” that could have led to damages attributable to IMG in this case, was the alleged misrepresentation(s) made by IMG in violation of the FDUTPA laws. As such, Westchester took the position that there was no insurable “occurrence” because under the policy language and relevant Ohio insurance law, a misrepresentation cannot be an “accident.” In turn, if there is no accident, there cannot be an “occurrence” that triggers coverage under the West-Chester policies. Based on the relevant Ohio law, and the arguments of the parties, the Court included a jury instruction at trial informing the jury that a misrepresentation could not be an “occurrence” under the policy.

Following deliberations, the jury found: (1) that IMG had proven by a preponderance of the evidence that Westchester breached its contract with IMG by not paying on the policy; (2) that IMG proved by a preponderance of the evidence that there was an “occurrence;” (3) that there was “property damage;” and, (4) that Westchester had not proven by the requisite burden of proof that the “expected or intended injury” exclusion applied. (ECF # 110, 111). Therefore, the jury returned a verdict in favor of IMG, finding that Westchester was responsible for indemnification of the Gastaldi settlement in the amount of three million, nine hundred thousand dollars ($3,900,000.00).3 (ECF # 111). The Court retained the question of whether Westchester is also liable for reimbursement of IMG’s defense costs over and above the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) contributed by Great Divide in its settlement with IMG.

ANALYSIS

I. Directed Verdict / JNOV

Defendant Westchester now seeks to overturn the jury’s finding of liability for indemnification and has moved the Court for a directed verdict and for judgment as a matter of law pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P.

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Related

IMG Worldwide, Inc. v. Great Divide Insurance Co.
704 F. App'x 562 (Sixth Circuit, 2017)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
945 F. Supp. 2d 873, 2013 WL 1975678, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 67618, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/img-worldwide-inc-v-westchester-fire-insurance-ohnd-2013.