Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Commissioner of Insurance

16 Mass. L. Rptr. 95
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedMarch 31, 2003
DocketNo. 015464BLS
StatusPublished

This text of 16 Mass. L. Rptr. 95 (Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Commissioner of Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Commissioner of Insurance, 16 Mass. L. Rptr. 95 (Mass. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

van Gestel, J.

This matter comes before the Court pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. Rule 12(c) and Superior Court Standing Order 1-96 on a motion for judgment on the pleadings by the plaintiffs, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company (“Liberty Mutual”) and The Premier Insurance Company of Massachusetts (“Premier”), against the defendants, the Commissioner of Insurance (“the Commissioner”) and Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers (“CAR”). What is involved is the transfer of two Exclusive Representative Producers (“ERPs”) from Horace Mann Insurance Company and Teachers Insurance Company (collectively “Horace Mann”), one ERP to Liberty Mutual, and the other to Premier.

BACKGROUND

By G.L.c. 175, Sec. 113H, motor vehicle liability insurance is provided to applicants who are otherwise unable to obtain insurance — the involuntary or residual market — under a plan by which the resulting expenses and losses are apportioned among all licensed motor vehicle insurance companies. All motor vehicle insurers licensed to do business in Massachusetts are required to participate as members of CAR in a plan (the “Plan”) prepared by its Governing Committee and approved, after public hearing, by the Commissioner. Liberty Mutual and Premier are members of CAR.

CAR is an unincorporated association comprised of all private insurance companies which write motor vehicle insurance in Massachusetts. CAR was created by private insurance companies at the Legislature’s direction, pursuant to G.L.c. 175, Sec. 113H, to ensure that companies writing private passenger motor vehicle insurance in Massachusetts serve the involuntary market. Under Rule 20, B of the CAR Rules of Operation, appeals from decisions of the Governing Committee of CAR lie to the Commissioner.

The Plan provides that the Governing Committee shall adopt a set of rules, including rules providing for the fair and equitable distribution of losses and expenses. See, e.g., Trust Insurance Company v. CAR, 46 Mass.App.Ct. 657, 658 (1999).

Agents and brokers who write motor vehicle insurance in Massachusetts and who are unable to obtain voluntary relationships with an insurance company may apply to CAR for appointment to an involuntary relationship. These agents and brokers are what are referred to above as ERPs. Insurance companies that enter into such relationships are called Servicing Carriers. CAR has adopted a plan to fairly allocate ERPs based on each Servicing Carrier’s total market share. Carriers which have a smaller market share of the ERP market than their share of the total market are called “undersubscribed”3 companies, and they will receive additional ERPs as their applications are approved by [96]*96CAR. See Trust Insurance Company v. Commissioner, Suffolk Superior Court, Civil Action No. 95-5238 [7 Mass. L. Rptr. 64).

The Plan provides in Article V, in material part, as follows:

A Member may be excused from its Servicing Carrier responsibilities for Exclusive Representative Producer business if the Member executes an agreement with another entity for handling its share of private passenger and/or commercial motor vehicle Exclusive Representative Producer business . . . Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to affect the right of any Servicing Carrier to enter into any contractual agreement for the purpose of servicing the Servicing Carrier’s voluntary or ceded business.

Horace Mann was granted permission by the Commissioner and CAR to cease writing motor vehicle policies in the Commonwealth effective on December 31, 2001, and two of its ERPs have been transferred by CAR to Liberty Mutual and Premier. Liberty Mutual and Premier contend that the permission allowing Horace Mann to cease writing automobile insurance in Massachusetts and the transfers of two of its ERPs to them have not been done pursuant to CAR Rules or the appropriate statutes.

Horace Mann’s profitable, voluntary agent-produced business has been acquired by Commerce Insurance Company (“Commerce”), but Commerce declined to accept Horace Mann’s obligations as a Servicing Carrier to its ERPs. This is permitted by Article V of the CAR Plan.

In brief history, prior to August 21, 2001, Horace Mann expressed its desire to withdraw from “active participation in” the Massachusetts automobile insurance market. Then, on August 21, 2001, Horace Mann wrote to the Division of Insurance, stating that it wished to retain its automobile insurance licenses. Horace Mann had been more than 125% oversubscribed with ERPs throughout 2001 to the time of the action involved here.

On September 5, 2001, Horace Mann met with Division officials and outlined a proposal to transfer its voluntary business to Commerce, while allowing its ERPs to be reassigned by CAR. On the following day, the same proposal was presented to CAR.

On September 10, 2001, Horace Mann sent a letter to the Chairman of CAR’s Governing Committee, stating that it intended to cease writing private passenger automobile insurance in Massachusetts, that it would make a payment to CAR in accordance with Rule 11 of CAR’s Rules of Operation to cover its future obligations under the ERP system, and that it would then assume “inactive membership in CAR.” This letter was distributed to members of CAR’s Governing Committee prior to its September 19, 2001 meeting. Also, the letter was discussed at the meeting. Representatives of Liberty Mutual and Premier were present at the September 19, 2001 meeting.

Next, on September 21, 2001, Horace Mann sent a letter to the Chairman of the CAR Governing Committee, requesting another Committee meeting to finalize Horace Mann’s financial obligations under Rule 11. This requested meeting was scheduled for October 17, 2001.

On October 17, 2001, the Commissioner, CAR and Horace Mann executed an agreement (the “Agreement”) which allowed Horace Mann to refuse to write motor vehicle liability policies or bonds after December 31, 2001. Included in the Agreement were the following:

CAR Rules 3A provides that an insurer licensed to write motor vehicle insurance policies in the Commonwealth may become an inactive member of CAR upon fulfilling its financial obligations set forth in CAR Rule 11.
Upon the execution of this Agreement Horace Mann will issue non-renewal notices in accordance with the Massachusetts insurance laws of the Commonwealth for all motor vehicle insurance policies scheduled to renew on January 1, 2002 and beyond.
On the date that CAR confirms the receipt of the [Rule 11 payment], CAR shall reassign Horace Mann’s Exclusive Representative Producers to other Servicing Carriers. The reassignment shall be effective at midnight on December 31, 2001, for both new and renewal business.

Earlier in the day, on October 17, 2001, the CAR Governing Committee had a special meeting4 “at the request of Horace Mann ... to discuss their intent to cease writing private passenger policies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and to determine their financial obligations to CAR pursuant to Rule 11 of CAR’s Rules of Operation.” Governing Committee member James T. Masterson of Liberty Mutual was present, as was a representative of Premier.

There is a transcript of the October 17, 2001 meeting.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
16 Mass. L. Rptr. 95, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/liberty-mutual-insurance-v-commissioner-of-insurance-masssuperct-2003.