Maher v. Northland Insurance

991 F. Supp. 878, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 810, 1998 WL 34663
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedJanuary 27, 1998
DocketNo. Civ.A. 96-40456
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 991 F. Supp. 878 (Maher v. Northland Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Maher v. Northland Insurance, 991 F. Supp. 878, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 810, 1998 WL 34663 (E.D. Mich. 1998).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND DENYING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

GADOLA, District Judge.

Before the court are cross-motions for summary judgment. The instant action con-cems whether an insurance policy issued by defendant, Northland Insurance Co. (“North-land”), covers an injury suffered by plaintiffs, John and Hilda Maher. This court conducted a hearing on plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment on November 12, 1997. At that time, it became apparent that the issue before this court was whether Northland had properly cancelled plaintiffs’ insurance policy. Because the facts surrounding the purported cancellation are undisputed, the case appeared ripe for summary adjudication. However, Northland had not yet filed its motion for summary judgment. This court indicated at the November 12, 1997 hearing that it would reserve judgment on plaintiffs’ motion until it could address both motions. North-land filed its motion for summary judgment on November 20,1997.1

For the reasons set forth below, this court will grant defendant’s motion and deny plaintiffs’ motion.

Factual Background

In October of 1992, plaintiffs entered into a contract with Cliff Lorenzen d/b/a Mike Davis House and Building Movers (“Loren-zen”) pursuant to which Lorenzen agreed to repair plaintiffs’ barn. Lorenzen completed work in August of 1993. On December 23, 1993, Hilda Maher fell through the floor of the bam and suffered severe injuries when the floor of the bam collapsed under her.

Prior to the time of the accident, Lorenzen had been insured under a commercial policy issued by Northland. On September 13, 1993, Lorenzen renewed his policy for a year, effective September 16, 1993. Lorenzen financed his policy through Insta-Prem, a premium finance company, under an agreement that required payments on or before the sixteenth of each month throughout the term of the policy. The financing agreement contained a cancellation provision that provided:

CANCELLATION OF POLICIES: Ins-ta-Prem may cancel above policies in accordance with [Mich.Comp.Laws § 500.1511] if any installment or late [880]*880charges are not paid by 21 days after due date.2

Lorenzen failed to make his November 16, 1993 payment. Insta-Prem sent a past due notice to Lorenzen on November 29, 1993, which advised Lorenzen that failure to make the payment within 10 days would résult in the issuance of a cancellation request. On December 8,1993, Insta-Prem sent a cancellation request to Northland, asking that Lor-enzen’s policy be cancelled for nonpayment effective December 9, 1993. On December 16,1993, Special Risks, the broker for North-land, sent a letter to Lorenzen confirming that the policy had been cancelled for nonpayment of premiums effective December 9, 1993. In this time period, Lorenzen did not make any effort to contact Northland, Insta-Prem or Special Risks. Lorenzen also did not obtain any other insurance.

In the wake of Hilda Maher’s fall, plaintiffs filed a personal injury action against Loren-zen in Sanilac County Circuit Court on April 13, 1994. On July 31, 1994, Mr. Lorenzen died as a result of circumstances unrelated to this litigation. The original suit was dismissed without prejudice for lack of progress on December 20, 1995. However, the case was reinstated on December 27, 1995, this time with the estate of Cliff Lorenzen as the defendant. At all relevant points, plaintiffs notified Northland of the proceedings against Lorenzen. By letter dated February 18, 1994, Northland advised plaintiffs that Northland’s position was that Lorenzen’s insurance had lapsed, and Northland expressed its intention not to be involved at all in defending the claim against Lorenzen.

On May 31,1996, plaintiffs and Lorenzen’s estate settled the personal injury litigation, and a consent judgment was entered by the Sanilac County Circuit Court in the amount of $100,000.00. The consent judgment further provided that plaintiffs could recover only from Northland,’ and -that plaintiffs would be fully responsible for pursuing that relief. No recovery is possible under the judgment, against Lorenzen’s estate, directly.

On November 19, 1996, plaintiffs filed the instant action against Northland in Sanilac County Circuit Court. Northland removed the case to this court on December 23, 1996. Plaintiffs filed their motion for summary judgment on July 30, 1997, and Northland filed its motion for summary judgment on November 20,1997. '

Discussion

1. Summary judgment standard

Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that summary judgment “shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Summary judgment is appropriate where the moving party demonstrates that there is no genuine issue of material fact as to the existence of an essential element of the non-moving party’s case on which the non-moving party would bear the burden of proof at trial. Martin v. Ohio Turnpike Commission, 968 F.2d 606, 608 (6th Cir.1992); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986) In considering a motion for summary judgment, the court must view the facts and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in a light most favorable to the non-moving party. 60 Ivy Street Corporation v. Alexander, 822 [881]*881F.2d 1432, 1435 (6th Cir.1987). The court is not required or permitted, however, to judge the evidence or make findings of fact. Id. at 1435-36. The moving party has the burden of showing conclusively that no genuine issue of material fact exists. Id. at 1435.

A fact is “material” for purposes of summary judgment where proof of that fact would have the effect of establishing or refuting an essential element of the cause of action or a defense advanced by the parties. Kendall v. Hoover Co., 751 F.2d 171, 174 (6th Cir.1984). In other words, the disputed fact must be one which might affect outcome of the suit under the substantive law controlling the issue. Henson v. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 14 F.3d 1143, 1148 (6th Cir.1994) A dispute over a material fact is genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-moving party.” . Id. Accordingly, where a reasonable jury could not find that the non-moving party is entitled to a verdict, there is no genuine issue for trial and summary judgment is appropriate. Feliciano v. City of Cleveland, 988 F.2d 649 (6th Cir.1993).

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991 F. Supp. 878, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 810, 1998 WL 34663, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/maher-v-northland-insurance-mied-1998.