Marook v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance

259 F.R.D. 388, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70598, 2009 WL 2447025
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Iowa
DecidedAugust 10, 2009
DocketNo. C08-0032
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 259 F.R.D. 388 (Marook v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Marook v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance, 259 F.R.D. 388, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70598, 2009 WL 2447025 (N.D. Iowa 2009).

Opinion

ORDER

JON STUART SCOLES, United States Magistrate Judge.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY.................................................390

II. ISSUE PRESENTED......................................................390

III. RELEVANT FACTS.......................................................390

A. The Insurance Policy..................................................390

B. The Accident..........................................................391

C. The Claim.............................................................392

IV. DISCUSSION.............................................................392

A. Motion to Compel .....................................................392

1. Requested Discovery...............................................392

a. Prior State Farm Cases........................................392

b. Financial Information.........................................394

2. Analysis..........................................................394

a. Prior State Farm Cases........................................395

b. Financial Information.........................................396

B. Motion for Finding of Prima Facia [sic] Case of Exemplary Damages.....398

[390]*390V. ORDER ........................... ......................................398

This matter comes before the Court on the Motion for Finding of Prima Facia (sic) Case of Exemplary Damages (docket number 22), and the Motion To Compel (docket number 24), both filed by the Plaintiff on May 29, 2009. Pursuant to Local Rule 7.c, the motions will be decided without oral argument.

I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

On February 25, 2008, Plaintiff Lynn Ann Marook filed a Petition at Law in the Iowa District Court for Linn County, seeking damages against Defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. The Petition was brought in five counts; alleging breach of contract, promissory estoppel, unjust enrichment, “reasonable expectations,” and bad faith. On April 7, 2008, the action was removed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. On April 11, 2008, State Farm filed an Answer denying the material allegations and asserting certain affirmative defenses.

On January 14, 2009, Marook filed an Amended Complaint (docket number 13). The Amended Complaint asserts the same causes of action found in the Petition at Law. State Farm filed an Answer (docket number 14) on January 26, 2009. Pursuant to the Scheduling Order submitted by the parties and approved by the Court, the trial ready date is October 31, 2009. A firm trial date has not been established.

On June 23, 2009, State Farm filed a Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (docket number 32). State Farm argues that it is entitled to summary dismissal of Marook’s bad faith claim. On June 30, 2009, Marook filed a Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (docket number 33), asserting that she is entitled to summary judgment on her claims of breach of contract (Count I) and bad faith (Count V). The motions for summary judgment remain pending.

II. ISSUE PRESENTED

On May 29, 2009, Marook filed the instant Motion to Compel. The motion raises primarily two issues: first, whether State Farm is required to provide discovery regarding certain earlier cases; and second, whether State Farm is required to provide additional discovery regarding its financial condition. In her “Motion For Finding of Prima Facia (sic) Case of Exemplary Damages,” Marook asks that the Court “declare that the Plaintiff has made a prima facia (sic) case for exemplary damages and order the Defendant to provide to Plaintiff information about Defendant’s financial condition.” 1 Accordingly, it would appear that Marook’s motion seeking a declaration from the Court regarding a prima facie showing for punitive damages is related to the second issue raised in the motion to compel discovery.

III. RELEVANT FACTS
A. The Insurance Policy

Plaintiff Lynn Ann Marook is a resident of Linn County, Iowa. Defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is an insurance company doing business in Iowa. State Farm issued an automobile insurance policy providing coverage on a 2000 Toyota Sienna owned by Marook. The policy was renewed for a 6-month term on August 18, 2007.

The premium payment of approximately $61.00 per month was automatically withdrawn from Marook’s account at the Collins Community Credit Union on around the 23rd day of each month. In August 2007, however, Marook contacted the State Farm Agency servicing her account and advised them not to make a withdrawal on August 23. At her deposition, Marook testified that she told the Agency to stop the automatic withdrawal because she had “difficulty with work to make the payment.”2 According to an entry made in the Agency’s computer records, Marook called on August 16 and reported that she [391]*391“has had some money problems [and] she requested we suspend her account and she will stop in the office to make her monthly payment.”3 Marook admits that she did not pay the August premium.

On August 29, 2007, State Farm sent Ma-rook a notice stating that the policy would be canceled on September 12, 2007, due to nonpayment of the premium. According to an Agency computer entry, Marook stopped in the office on September 18, 2007, and asked if her automatic payments could be “unsuspended” for the September 23, 2007, premium payment. She was told that if she paid the August premium, then they could “unsuspend” her automatic payment for September 23. Marook apparently did not have the money to pay the August premium. According to the Agency computer entry:

SHE STATED SHE HAS NO MONEY TO DO THAT. SHE SAID SHE WILL GET A CHECK HERE BY THE END OF THE WEEK. SHE STATED SHE WILL STOP IN ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 TO PAY HER SFPP ACCOUNT IN FULL FOR AUG AND SEP.

See Agency computer entry, State Farm’s App. at 2 (docket number 29-3 at 4) (capitalization in original).

B. The Accident

Two days later, on September 20, 2007, Marook was involved in an automobile accident. Apparently, the 2000 Toyota Sienna being driven by Marook struck a parked car. It is undisputed that the accident was Ma-rook’s fault.

While at the scene of the accident, Marook was asked by the investigating officer to produce proof of insurance. The insurance card in Marook’s possession reflected an expired date. Accordingly, Marook called Chad Johnson, her State Farm agent. Ma-rook then handed her cell phone to the investigating officer and Johnson told the officer that Marook had insurance.4

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
259 F.R.D. 388, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 70598, 2009 WL 2447025, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marook-v-state-farm-mutual-automobile-insurance-iand-2009.