Motorists Mut. Ins. v. Bittler

235 N.E.2d 745, 14 Ohio Misc. 23, 43 Ohio Op. 2d 64, 1968 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 302
CourtCuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
DecidedFebruary 20, 1968
DocketNo. 786792
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 235 N.E.2d 745 (Motorists Mut. Ins. v. Bittler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Motorists Mut. Ins. v. Bittler, 235 N.E.2d 745, 14 Ohio Misc. 23, 43 Ohio Op. 2d 64, 1968 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 302 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1968).

Opinion

McMoNagle, J.

On May 3, 1961, the plaintiff insurance ■ company issued its automobile policy to Ralph A. Bittler, a defendant herein. The policy included a standard type endorsement for protection against uninsured motorists. The automobile described in the policy was a 1957 Ford convertible. The names of the insured were Ralph A. Bittler and Phyllis Bittler, husband and wife.

[24]*24The action was submitted for a decision of the court on the amended petition of the plaintiff, the answer of the defendant, Mr. Bittler, the evidence (which by stipulation consists of the insurance policy, the Uninsured Motorists Endorsement and the deposition of Mr. Bittler), the brief and arguments of counsel.

On November 20,1961, Ralph Bittler was injured while operating a 1961 Plymouth automobile which was owned by the Dornback Furnace & Foundry Company, his employer, when it was struck by an uninsured automobile operated by one James Stokes. Travelers Insurance Company had issued its automobile policy on the said Plymouth automobile. That policy did not contain an uninsured motorist’s endorsement.

When the plaintiff refused to make payment for the injuries sustained by Mr. Bittler, he did, on May 13, 1963, transmit to the American Arbitration Association, defendant herein, a demand for arbitration under the provisions of said insurance policy. He claimed that the sum of $10,000 was due him from the plaintiff as a result of his sustaining the injuries of November 20, 1961, and asked that the controversy be arbitrated in accordance with Item I of the Uninsured Motorists’ Endorsement of his policy. Upon the filing of the demand for arbitration, the within action was filed with Motorists Mutual Insurance Company as plaintiff and Ralph A. Bittler and the American Arbitration Association as defendants. The action is one for injunction, declaratory judgment and relief. Both the plaintiff and the defendant, Ralph A. Bittler, ask this court to determine and declare whether or not the Uninsured Motorists’ Endorsement of the automobile coverage policy issued to Ralph A. Bittler covered the injuries sustained by him in the automobile collision of November 20, 1961.

The plaintiff contends:

“1) that the uninsured motorists’ protection only applied where injuries are sustained while an insured is operating or occupying an automobile, if such vehicle is an ‘automobile to which the Bodily Injury Liability coverage of the policy applies.’ Item 11(b) of the Endorsement.
“2) That the Bodily Injury Liability coverage of the [25]*25policy does not apply ‘to any automobile * * * furnished for regalar use to * * * the named insured.’
“3) that the Plymouth automobile was ‘furnished for regular use to the named insured’; that therefore the Bodily Injury Liability coverage of the policy does not apply and therefore the uninsured motorist’s coverage also does not apply.”

The insured, Mr. Bittler, contends:

“1) that the uninsured motorists’ endorsement covers the insured in any ‘automobile while being operated by the named insured.’ He points out Section 11(b) (3) of the endorsement, or
“2) if the contention by the plaintiff that the endorsement does not apply when the insured is occupying a non-owned automobile furnished for (his) regular use, is valid, that the uninsured motorists protection is nonetheless available to him because in the instant case the vehicle he was operating was not an ‘automobile furnished for regular use’ to him.

The following are the provisions of the Uninsured Motorists’ Endorsement and of the policy proper which are relied upon by either the insurer or the insured or both:

“ENDORSEMENT
“Protection Against Uninsured Motorists
“(Automobile Bodily Injury Liability)
“In consideration of the payment of the premium for this endorsement, the company agrees with the named insured, subject to the limits of liability, exclusions, conditions and other terms of this endorsement and to the applicable terms of the policy:
“ Insuring Agreements
“I. Damages for Bodily Injury Caused by Uninsured Automobiles.
“To pay all sums which the insured or his legal representative shall be legally entitled to recover as damages from the owner or operator of an uninsured automobile because of bodily injury, sickness or disease, including death resulting therefrom, hereinafter called ‘bodily injury,’ sustained by the insured caused by accident while this endorse[26]*26ment is in effect and arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of such uninsured automobile; provided, for the purposes of this endorsement, determination as to whether the insured or such representative is legally entitled to recover such damages, and if so the amount thereof, shall be made by agreement between the insured or such representative and the company, or if they fail to agree by arbitration.
“II Definitions
“(a) Insured. The unqualified word ‘insured’ means
“ (1) the named insured as stated in the policy and any person designated as named insured in the schedule and, while residents of the same household, the spouse of any such named insured and relatives of either; provided, if the named insured as stated in the policy is other than an individual or husband and wife who are residents of the same household, the named insured for the purposes of this endorsement shall be only a person so designated in the schedule;
“ (2) any other person while occupying an insured automobile, and
“(3) any person, with respect to damages he is entitled to recover for care or loss of services because of bodily injury to which this endorsement applies.
“The insurance applies separately with respect to each named insured under this endorsement and residents of the same household, but neither this provision nor application of the insurance to more than one insured shall operate to increase the limits of the company’s liability.
“(b) Insured Automobile. The term ‘insured automobile’ means an automobile to which the Bodily Injury Liability coverage of the policy applies, provided such automobile is:
“(1) an automobile which is owned by the insured named in the declarations of the policy, or by his spouse if a resident of the same household;
“(2) an automobile while temporarily used as a substitute for an insured automobile as described in subpara-graph (1) above, when withdrawn from normal use be[27]*27cause of its breakdown, repair, servicing, loss or destruction; or
“ (3) an automobile while being operated by the named insured, or by his spouse if a resident of the same household.”
“The term ‘insured automobile’ shall not include:
“ (i) an automobile while used as a public or livery conveyance;
“ (ii) under subparagraphs (1) and (2) above an automobile unless being used by or with the permission of the named insured or such spouse; or

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

Related

Vasquez v. American Fire & Casualty Co.
298 P.3d 94 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2013)
Ohayon v. Safeco Ins. Co. of Illinois
2001 Ohio 100 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2001)
Ohayon v. Safeco Insurance
747 N.E.2d 206 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2001)
Fiscor v. Atlantic County Board
679 A.2d 678 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1996)
Smith v. Continental Casualty Co.
128 Wash. 2d 73 (Washington Supreme Court, 1995)
Smith v. Continental Cas. Co.
904 P.2d 749 (Washington Supreme Court, 1995)
Skinner v. Royal Insurance Co.
633 N.E.2d 432 (Massachusetts Appeals Court, 1994)
Van Der Ploeg Schroen v. Daison
608 So. 2d 1080 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1992)
Vigil v. California Casualty Insurance
811 P.2d 565 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1991)
Nash v. Metropolitan Property & Liability Insurance
571 N.E.2d 1 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1991)
Demetry v. Kim
595 N.E.2d 997 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1991)
Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Lund
530 N.E.2d 166 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1988)
Manning v. Fireman's Fund American Insurance
489 N.E.2d 700 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1986)
Cardin v. Royal Insurance Co. of America
476 N.E.2d 200 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1985)
Harvey v. Travelers Indemnity Co.
449 A.2d 157 (Supreme Court of Connecticut, 1982)
Vidmar v. American Family Mutual Insurance
312 N.W.2d 129 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1981)
Grange Insurance v. Great American Insurance
575 P.2d 235 (Washington Supreme Court, 1978)
Grange Mutual Casualty Co. v. Volkmann
385 N.E.2d 1319 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1977)
Taylor v. American Underwriters, Inc.
352 N.E.2d 86 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
235 N.E.2d 745, 14 Ohio Misc. 23, 43 Ohio Op. 2d 64, 1968 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 302, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/motorists-mut-ins-v-bittler-ohctcomplcuyaho-1968.