Indemnity Insurance Co. of North America v. Du Pont

292 F.2d 569
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedJuly 19, 1961
DocketNo. 18400
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 292 F.2d 569 (Indemnity Insurance Co. of North America v. Du Pont) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Indemnity Insurance Co. of North America v. Du Pont, 292 F.2d 569 (5th Cir. 1961).

Opinion

JONES, Circuit Judge.

Samuel Hallock duPont Jr., the appellee, operated a business of chartering aircraft. In the spring of 1958 duPont switched his business from chartering, with pilots furnished, to renting, without pilots, under a license granted to him by Hertz Rent A Plane System, Inc. Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, the appellant, issued a policy of aircraft insurance, dated March 27, 1958, to duPont which, under Schedule C, provided indemnity against hull loss or damage; and, under Schedules D, E and F, provided coverage for bodily injury and property damage. The policy contained exclusionary clauses among which were the following:

“This policy does not apply:

“(g) With respect to Coverages A, B and C to any loss or damage caused by or resulting from any of the conditions in sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) which appear below;
“(1) hostile or warlike action in time of peace or war, including action in hindering, combating or defending against an actual, impending, or expected attack, (a) by any government or sovereign power (de jure or de facto), or by any authority mantaining or using military, naval or air forces; or (b) by military, naval or air forces; or (c) by any agent of any such government, power, authority or forces; or
“(2) insurrection, rebellion, revolution, civil war, usurped power, or action taken by governmental authority in hindering, combating or defending against such an occurrence, seizure or destruction under quarantine or Customs regulations, confiscation by order of any government or public authority or risks of contraband or illegal transportation or trade.”

Bearing the same date as the policy and attached to it is Endorsement No. 1 which provided, among other things:

“(1) As respects Coverages C. D. E. & F.: '
******
“C. The aircraft insured will be piloted as follows:
“1. Twin engined aircraft by S. H. duPont, Jr., and any pilot employed by him holding a valid and current Commercial Multi-Engined Rating; also any other pilot approved by S. H. duPont, Jr. (or anyone to whom he delegates the power of pilot approval) who holds a valid and current Commercial Multi-Engined Rating and who has logged not less than 500 hours of Multi-Engined First Pilot time.
* * * * * *
“(3) As respects Coverages D, E, and F.
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“C. When the named insured makes aircraft insured hereunder available for rental or charter under license with Hertz Rent A Plane System, Inc. This policy covers as additional named insureds, the renter, pilot (s) and his employer, and passengers of a rented aircraft where the pilot is an employee of the named insured, Hertz Rent A Plane System, Inc., The Hertz Corporation and all subsidiary or associated corporations (now existing or hereinafter organized) and licensees of Hertz System, Inc.”

Endorsements numbered 2, 3 and 4 were added at or as of the time the policy was issued. Endorsement No. 2 provided for reporting and the rates for the premiums, on the various classes of coverage. Endorsements numbered 3 and 4 are not pertinent to the issues before us.

Endorsement No. 5, referred to as the' Hertz endorsement, was added to the-policy. It provided:

“Effective July 21, 1958, it is understood and agreed that paragraph 3C of Indorsement No. 1 is amended to read as follows:
“When the insured named in Item No. 1 of the Declarations makes aircraft insured hereunder available for rental or charter under license [571]*571with Hertz Rent A Plane System, Inc., this policy:
“I. As respects Coverage C.—
“Insofar as it is required by the Hertz Standard Rental Agreement, the company waives its right under the policy conditions, to subrogate against the renter pilot for any loss ■of or damage to the rented aircraft.
“II. As respects Coverages D, E and F is amended to cover in accordance with the following paragraphs :
“1. The following as additional named insureds:
“A. Hertz Rent A Plane System, Inc.
“B. The Hertz Corporation and all wholly owned or controlled subsidiaries thereof (now in existence or hereafter organized or acquired).
* * * * * *
“2. With respect to the above named additional named insureds:
“A. The insurance afforded under this policy shall be excess insurance over any other valid and collectible insurance available to the named additional insureds, any rentor pilot or the employer of any rentor pilot, either as an insured or otherwise, under a policy applicable with respect to aircraft or otherwise, against a loss covered under this policy.
“B. It is agreed that in the event of bodily injury to an insured or to an employee of one or more of the insureds that this policy shall cover any insured not employing the person so injured in the same manner as if separate policies had been issued to each insured, except that the limits of liability for all insured shall not exceed the limits of liability set forth in the policy to which this indorsement is attached.
“C. It is agreed that in the event of damage to property owned by, rented to, in charge of or being transported by any one or more insureds, for which another insured is or may be held liable, then this policy shall cover such insured against whom claim is or may be made in the same manner as if separate policies had been issued to each insured, except that the limits cf liability for all insureds shall not exceed the limits of liability set forth in the policy to which this indorsement is attached.
“D, By reason of the coverage afforded in paragraphs B and C above, the paragraph in the printed ‘Conditions’ of the policy entitled ‘Severability of Interests’ is deleted.
“E. This policy does not apply to bodily injury to or sickness, disease or death of any employee of any named additional insured while engaged in the duties of his employment.
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“4. With respect to the interests of the named additional insureds only, cancellation or change of this policy by the insurer shall not be effective until 30 days after mailing of written notice thereof to:
“Hertz Rent A Plane System, Inc.
“218 South Wabash Avenue
“Chicago 4, Illinois
“Attention: Insurance Division.
“5.

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292 F.2d 569, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/indemnity-insurance-co-of-north-america-v-du-pont-ca5-1961.