Mitchell v. State Farm Insurance

2003 MT 102, 68 P.3d 703, 315 Mont. 281, 2003 Mont. LEXIS 178
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedApril 24, 2003
Docket02-052
StatusPublished
Cited by65 cases

This text of 2003 MT 102 (Mitchell v. State Farm Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mitchell v. State Farm Insurance, 2003 MT 102, 68 P.3d 703, 315 Mont. 281, 2003 Mont. LEXIS 178 (Mo. 2003).

Opinions

JUSTICE TRIEWEILER

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

¶1 The Appellant, Charles Mitchell, filed a complaint for declaratory judgment with the District Court for the Fourth Judicial District in Missoula County. The complaint requested that the District Court determine that he was entitled to coverage from State Farm insurance policies pursuant to which he was an “insured.” Both parties filed motions for summary judgment and oral argument was held. Following oral argument, the District Court issued an Opinion, Order and Declaratory Judgment in favor of State Farm. Mitchell appeals from that order. We reverse the judgment of the District Court.

¶2 The dispositive issues on appeal are:

¶3 1. Did the District Court err when it applied California law to determine whether Mitchell was entitled to underinsured motorist coverage?

¶4 2. Did the District Court err when it concluded that the limitations in the State Farm policies do not violate public policy?

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶5 On July 27, 1998, the Appellant, Charles Mitchell, was injured [284]*284while a passenger in a vehicle driven by Brook Tebb and insured by Glen and Linda Haas. Mitchell alleged that he suffered approximately $25,000 in medical expenses and alleged damages from loss of wages, for pain and suffering, and for future medical expenses. Mitchell’s claim for damages related to pain and suffering, wage loss and future medical expenses, along with the seriousness of Mitchell’s injuries remain disputed by State Farm. Following the accident, Mitchell settled with Farmer’s Insurance, the insurer of the Haas vehicle, for the vehicle’s policy limit of $50,000.

¶6 Mitchell is insured by his parents’ State Farm insurance policies. Approximately $25,000 of Mitchell’s medical bills were covered by his parents’ medical expenses coverage. Mitchell’s parents reside in California, and insure five vehicles through State Farm, which are registered, owned, operated, and garaged in California. A separate premium was paid for uninsured motorist coverage for each vehicle. The insurance policy declarations pages indicate that uninsured motorist coverage in the amount of $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident is provided for four vehicles, and coverage in the amount of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident is provided for the fifth vehicle. Separate premiums were charged for each coverage.

¶7 Each policy provides in part:

Where coverage applies:
The coverages you choose apply:
1. in the United States of America, its territories and possessions, or Canada; or
2. while the insured vehicle is being shipped between their ports.
Uninsured Motor Vehicle - Coverage U
You have this coverage if “U” appears in the “Coverages” space on the declarations page.
We will pay damages for bodily injury an insured is legally entitled to collect from the owner or driver of an uninsured motor vehicle. The bodily injury must be caused by an accident arising out of the operation, maintenance or use of an uninsured motor vehicle.
IF THE DAMAGES ARE CAUSED BY AN UNDERINSURED MOTOR VEHICLE THERE IS NO COVERAGE UNTIL:
1. THE LIMITS OF LIABILITY OF ALL BODILY INJURY LIABILITY BONDS AND POLICIES THAT APPLY HAVE BEEN USED UP BY PAYMENT OF JUDGMENTS OR SETTLEMENT TO OTHER PERSONS:
[285]*285Uninsured Motor Vehicle under coverage U - means:
1. A land motor vehicle, the ownership, maintenance or use of which is:
(a) not insured or bonded for bodily injury liability at the time of the accident; or
(b) insured or bonded for bodily injury liability at the time of the accident; but
(1) the limits of liability are less than required by the financial responsibility act of the state where your car is mainly garaged ...
2. an underinsured motor vehicle as defined [in this provision]
Underinsured Motor Vehicle - means a land motor vehicle, the ownership, maintenance or use of which is:
1. insured or bonded for bodily injury liability at the time of the accident, but
2. the limits of the liability are less than the limits of liability of this coverage.
Limits of Liability Under Coverage U
4. The limits of liability are not increased because:
(a) more than one vehicle is insured under this policy....
6. If the damages are caused by an underinsured motor vehicle, the most we pay will be the lesser of:
(a) the difference between the limits of liability of this coverage and the amount paid to the insured by or for any person or organization who is or may be held legally liable for the bodily injury, or
(b) the difference between the amount of the insured’s damages for bodily injury, and the amount paid to the insured by or for any person or organization who is or may be held legally liable for the bodily injury.
If There Is Other Uninsured Motor Vehicle Coverage:
4. If the insured sustains bodily injury while occupying a vehicle not owned by you, your spouse or any relative and:
(a) such vehicle is not described on the declarations page of another policy providing uninsured motor vehicle coverage; and
(b) its driver is:
(1) you, your spouse or any relative, or
[286]*286(2) any other person not insured under another such policy, then
(a) the total limits of liability under all applicable policies issued by us shall not exceed that of the one with the highest limit of liability....

We note that, by the terms of the policies, the uninsured motorist provision includes underinsured motorist coverage.

¶8 State Farm denied Mitchell’s request for underinsured coverage. It reasoned that the Haas vehicle’s $50,000 liability coverage matched the highest single uninsured motorist coverage and, therefore, it was not “underinsured” pursuant to the underinsured motorist definition.

¶9 Mitchell requested that the District Court determine that State Farm’s denial of coverage violated public policy and determine the amount of coverage he was entitled to receive pursuant to the policies. The parties filed motions for summary judgement and oral argument was held on January 25, 2001.

¶10 The District Court issued its Opinion, Order and Declaratory Judgement on November 14, 2001.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2003 MT 102, 68 P.3d 703, 315 Mont. 281, 2003 Mont. LEXIS 178, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mitchell-v-state-farm-insurance-mont-2003.