Michaud v. United States Fire Insurance

11 Mass. L. Rptr. 61
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedDecember 27, 1999
DocketNo. 97-6346
StatusPublished

This text of 11 Mass. L. Rptr. 61 (Michaud v. United States Fire 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
Michaud v. United States Fire Insurance, 11 Mass. L. Rptr. 61 (Mass. Ct. App. 1999).

Opinion

Neel, J.

This case arises out of a motor vehicle accident in which plaintiff, Marcella Michaud (Michaud), a passenger in a rental car owned by defendant Clay Auto Rental, Inc. (Clay Auto) and driven by decedent Pierrette Soucy (Soucy), sustained serious personal injuries. Michaud commenced this declaratory judgment action against defendants, United States Fire Insurance Company (U.S. Fire), Liberty Mutual Insurance Company (Liberty Mutual), MIC Property & Casualty Insurance Corp. (MIC), Clay Auto, Clay Chevrolet, Inc. (Clay Chevrolet) and Yves Soucy, Administrator of the Estate of Pierrette Soucy, to determine the scope of six insurance policies and the coverage owed under them as a result of the accident2 (Counts I, II, IV, V and VI).3 Michaud also seeks a declaration that Clay Auto breached the rental agreement it had entered with Soucy by failing to provide Soucy with sufficient automobile liability insurance. (Count VII). Finally, Michaud alleges that U.S. Fire committed unfair and deceptive settlement practices in violation of G.L.c. 93A and G.L.c. 176D (Count VIII).

Michaud now moves for partial summary judgment on Counts I, II, IV, V, and VI, and seeks a declaration that Soucy was an insured under the six insurance policies issued by defendants, and that coverage is available to cover Soucy’s purported liability arising from the accident.4 U.S. Fire and MIC have separately cross-moved for summary judgment on all claims asserted against them in Michaud’s complaint on the grounds that, generally, their respective insurance policies do not provide coverage for Soucy’s alleged liability to Michaud.5 Liberty Mutual opposes Michaud’s motion in part, conceding that if Liberty Mutual’s policy is adjudged to be the primary insurance policy, then Liberty Mutual would provide up to $200,000 (Canadian) in coverage, and opposing Michaud’s assertion that the same amount is available [62]*62if the policy is considered an excess policy.6 Yves Soucy, Administrator of the Estate of Pierrette Soucy supports Michaud’s motion.

BACKGROUND

The following facts are undisputed. Sometime prior to July 2, 1993, Soucy, a Massachusetts resident, purchased a used car from Clay Chevrolet, a Massachusetts car dealership. On July 2, 1993, when Soucy arrived at Clay Chevrolet to pick up the car, Clay Chevrolet informed her that it was not ready. To accommodate Soucy, who was leaving on a driving trip to New Brunswick, Canada, Clay Chevrolet obtained a rental car from Clay Auto, a Massachusetts car rental agency, for Soucy to use for her trip. Clay Chevrolet paid the rental charge. Clay Auto owned the rental car, which was registered in Massachusetts and insured by U.S. Fire.

The rental agreement that Clay Auto and Soucy executed listed Soucy as the “lessee” and Clay Chevrolet as the entity to bill. Michaud, Soucy’s sister and also a Massachusetts resident, was listed as an additional driver. With regard to liability insurance, paragraph 4 of the rental agreement provided in pertinent part:

Lessor shall provide an automobile liability insurance policy for the benefit of the Lessee and authorized drivers with limits equal to the minimum requirements of the Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Laws of the state or other jurisdiction in which the accident occurs . . .

Soucy took possession of the vehicle and, soon thereafter, she and Michaud left for New Brunswick. On July 3, 1993, while in New Brunswick, Soucy and Michaud were involved in a motor vehicle accident. Soucy was driving and Michaud was in the passenger seat. While Soucy was attempting to pass another vehicle, her car collided head-on with a vehicle operated by Arthur Theriault. Both Soucy and Theriault were killed. Michaud suffered serious injuries. Michaud commenced a negligence action against Soucy’s estate and this action against defendant insurers.

At the time of the accident, the following insurance policies were in effect.

A. U.S. Fire Insurance Policies

U.S. Fire issued a business auto policy, no. 131 -02-70-30-1, to Clay Auto. The policy was issued in Massachusetts and covers automobiles registered in Massachusetts. This policy is primary and contains the Massachusetts Mandatory endorsement (MM 99 11 09 91), which includes compulsory bodily injury coverage with limits of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident. The compulsory bodily injury coverage provides in relevant part: “[U.S. Fire] will pay all sums an insured legally must pay as damages because of‘bodily injury’ caused by a covered ‘auto’ in Massachusetts ‘accidents.’ ” Clay Auto is the only named insured; the policy defines “insured” as “(1) You [Clay Auto], while using a covered ‘auto’ [and] (2) any other person, while using a covered ‘auto’ with your permission.” The policy also defines a “covered auto” as

autos held by the insured for rental on a short term basis (less than tweleve [sic] months) or used in connection with the insured’s business of short term rental of autos, or used for other than rental purposes by the insured or any employee of the insured with the insured’s permission.

The policy expressly states that the coverages under the policy apply only to covered autos as defined under the policy. The compulsory bodily injury coverage excludes coverage for injuries to guest occupants and injuries caused by accidents outside of Massachusetts.

Clay Auto did not purchase optional bodily injury insurance coverage under the primary policy.

U.S. Fire also issued three excess insurance policies to Clay Auto. The first excess policy, no. 138-00-40-74-9,7 provides coverage for “the difference between the limits stated in [the primary policy] and $100,000 each person, $300,000 each accident bodily injury and $50,000 property damage, owner only.” The second excess policy, no. 138-00-40-75-8, provides coverage for “the difference between the limits stated for [the first excess policy] and $1,000,000 each accident bodily injury and property damage combined limits, owner only.” The third excess policy, no. 138-00-40-76-7, provides coverage for “the difference between the limits stated for [the second excess policy] and $5,000,000 each accident bodily injury and property damage combined single limit, owner only.”8 The excess policies and the primary policy do not define “owner.” Clay Auto is the only named insured on each of the excess policies. Furthermore, each of the excess policies contains a “Single Interest Endorsement” (RE-9 (Ed. 6/91)) which provides:

This insurance does not apply to the rentee or to any ultimate net loss, claim, occurrence, accident, loss, damages or liability imposed upon such rentee when such ultimate net loss, claim, occurrence, accident, loss, damages or liability arises out of the use, possession, or control, of a covered auto by such rentee.

The excess policies do not define the term “rentee.” The U.S. Fire primary policy, which is identified as “Underlying Insurance” on the Declarations page of each excess policy, defines “rentee” as “any person, firm, or corporation or authorized representative thereof, maintaining or using a covered auto for a charge or fee, however called, with your permission.”

B. MIC Insurance Policy

MIC issued a motor vehicle garage insurance policy, no.

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Bluebook (online)
11 Mass. L. Rptr. 61, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/michaud-v-united-states-fire-insurance-masssuperct-1999.