Liberty Mutual Insurance v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.

232 F. Supp. 76, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8099
CourtDistrict Court, D. Montana
DecidedJuly 29, 1964
DocketCiv. 409
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 232 F. Supp. 76 (Liberty Mutual Insurance v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Montana 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. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., 232 F. Supp. 76, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8099 (D. Mont. 1964).

Opinion

JAMESON, District Judge.

MEMORANDUM OPINION.

Plaintiff seeks reimbursement for amounts paid in settlement of various personal injury and property damage claims and for a judgment declaring the obligations of plaintiff and defendant under two insurance policies. The facts are *78 not in dispute, 1 and the action involves the construction of pertinent provisions of the respective policies.

On October 25, 1961, Lewis Everling was employed by Peter Kiewit Sons’ Company (Kiewit) on a highway construction job. In the course and scope of his employment Everling was driving a dump truck owned by Bert Lee. Lee had rented the truck to Kiewit on October 24, 1961. 2 While crossing railroad tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railway Company (Milwaukee) the truck was struck by a Milwaukee train. As a result of the collision, Ever-ling and several Pullman Company employees died, two Milwaukee employees were seriously injured, and the Milwaukee sustained substantial property damage.

Two insurance policies were in effect at the time of this accident. One, a Comprehensive Liability Policy (Automobile and General Liability) had been issued by plaintiff, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, to Peter Kiewit Sons’ Company as the named insured. The other, an Automobile Liability and Physical Damage policy, was issued by defendant, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, to Bert Lee, the owner of the truck, as named insured.

Charles Kellum, one of the Milwaukee employees, instituted suit in Montana against Kiewit and the Milwaukee. The Milwaukee instituted an action against Kiewit for the property damage it had sustained. Kiewit, contending that it was an “Omnibus Insured” under defendant’s policy, demanded that defendant provide a defense for these actions. The defendant denied liability and refused to defend.

Liberty Mutual then undertook defense of the suits on behalf of Kiewit against both Kellum and the Milwaukee. The Kellum case was settled for $62,-500, of which plaintiff agreed to pay $24,500 and the Milwaukee $38,000. The Milwaukee property damage suit was settled for $75,000, of which $1,977 was to reimburse the Milwaukee for one-half the personal injury settlement payments it had paid to passengers on the train.

The parties agree that the amounts paid in settlement were fair and reasonable and that the attorney’s fees and expenses incurred by plaintiff in defending the Kellum and Milwaukee suits, a total of $8,094.33, are proper, fair and reasonable.

An action instituted by Alfred Perry, the other Milwaukee employee, is pending in Illinois. Plaintiff has undertaken the defense of this action for Kiewit. Other litigation arising from the death of the Pullman porters is anticipated.

In a third party complaint against Kiewit, defendant alleges that under the truck rental agreement Kiewit was “required to maintain for the benefit of this defendant’s insured, Bert Lee, liability and property insurance to cover Bert Lee’s truck * * * ”, and that if defendant is legally obligated to plaintiff, defendant “became subrogated to whatever right” Bert Lee might have against Kiewit.

Paragraph 3 of the Truck Rental Agreement, however, specifically provided that, “The Contractor (Kiewit) will provide public liability and property damage insurance to cover its use of such trucks, but is under no obligation to provide any insurance coverage for the Owner (Lee).” (Emphasis added). *79 This provision is directly contrary to defendant’s allegation that under the contract Kiewit was obligated to provide coverage for Lee. Kiewit’s only obligation was to provide coverage for the use of the truck. This it did through the policy issued by plaintiff. Defendant’s third party complaint must be dismissed.

Six questions are presented by the briefs of the respective parties: 3

(1) Whether Everling was an “insured” under the Liberty Mutual Policy.

(2) Whether Everling and Kiewit were “insureds” under the U.S.F. & G. Policy.

(3) Whether the U.S.F. & G. Policy was primary and the Liberty Mutual Policy excess, as plaintiff contends; or the Liberty Mutual Policy primary and the U.S.F. & G. Policy excess, as defendant contends.

(4) Whether the truck was insured by Liberty Mutual on a “cost of hire” basis, and the effect of this policy provision.

(5) Whether separate litigation against the Everling estate is necessary to establish his liability.

(6) Whether the parties are liable “pro rata”.

Was Everling an “insured” under the Liberty Mutual Policy ?

Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co. is the named insured in this policy. Paragraph I of the Insuring Agreements, Coverages A and B, provides for bodily injury and property damage coverage. Paragraph III, “Definition of Insured”, provides that the word “Insured” includes the named insured and, under coverages A and B, “any person while using * * * a hired automobile * * * provided the actual use of the automobile is by the named insured or with his permission.” A hired automobile is defined under Conditions (3(b) (2)) as “an automobile used under contract in behalf of * * * the named insured * * * ”. Clearly this truck, rented from Lee, was being used under a contract; it was being used on behalf of the named insured in the policy, Peter Kiewit Sons’ Co.; and it was being used with the permission of Kiewit, the named insured.

Paragraph III of the Insuring Agreements further provides, however, that the insurance “with respect to any person or organization other than the named insured” does not apply * * * “(d) with respect to any hired automobile, to the owner, or a lessee thereof other than the named insured, or to any agent or employee of such owner or lessee”.

Plaintiff argues that since Ever-ling was an employee of a lessee (Kiewit) he is not covered. The exception, however, refers to an owner or a lessee other than the named insured, or to any agent or employee of such owner or lessee. It appears to me that the latter clause clearly refers to an agent or employee of an owner or lessee other than the named insured. Everling was an employee of Kiewit, the named insured, and is covered by the Liberty Mutual Policy. 4

Are Kiewit and Everling “Insureds” under the U.S.F. & G. Policy?

In this policy Bert Lee is the named insured. Paragraph I of the Insuring Agreements, Coverage A and B, provides for bodily injury and property damage coverage. Paragraph III, “Definition of Insured” provides that the word “Insured” includes the “Named Insured * * * and also includes any person while using the automobile * * * provided the actual use of the automobile is * * * with the permission of the *80 named insured.” It cannot be questioned that the use of the truck by Kiewit was with the permission of Lee. This is evidenced by the leasing agreement between them.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

American Simmental Ass'n v. Coregis Insurance
282 F.3d 582 (Eighth Circuit, 2002)
American Simmental Ass'n v. Coregis Insurance
107 F. Supp. 2d 1064 (D. Nebraska, 2000)
Guaranty National Insurance v. State Farm Insurance
777 P.2d 353 (Montana Supreme Court, 1989)
Special Jet Services, Inc. v. Federal Insurance
83 F.R.D. 596 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 1979)
Royal Indemnity Co. v. Stevenson
309 F. Supp. 1086 (D. Maryland, 1970)
United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co. v. Drinkard
258 F. Supp. 380 (W.D. Virginia, 1966)
United Services Automobile Ass'n v. Pinkard
258 F. Supp. 804 (W.D. Virginia, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
232 F. Supp. 76, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8099, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/liberty-mutual-insurance-v-united-states-fidelity-guaranty-co-mtd-1964.