Neidenbach v. Amica Mutual Insurance

161 F. Supp. 3d 731, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15514, 2016 WL 492714
CourtDistrict Court, D. Missouri
DecidedFebruary 9, 2016
DocketNo. 4:13-CV-1604 CAS
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 161 F. Supp. 3d 731 (Neidenbach v. Amica Mutual Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Neidenbach v. Amica Mutual Insurance, 161 F. Supp. 3d 731, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15514, 2016 WL 492714 (mod 2016).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

CHARLES A. SHAW, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This matter is before the Court on defendant’s second motion for summary judgment. In a Memorandum and Order dated March 10, 2015, the Court granted defendant Arnica Mutual Insurance Company (“Arnica”) summary judgment as to [733]*733plaintiffs’ claims against it. Arnica now moves that the Court enter summary judgment in its favor with regard to its counterclaim. The Neidenbachs oppose the motion, which is fully briefed and ready for disposition. For the following reasons, Arnica’s motion for summary judgment is granted in part and denied in part.

I. Procedural Background

Dale and Kim Neidenbach allege in their first amended complaint that on or about October 10, 2012, a-fire started on their property, and they sustained damage amounting to the total loss of their home and personal belongings. They claim that Arnica had issued them an insurance policy covering this damage, which was in full force and effect at the time. They also claim that they satisfied all conditions precedent under the policy.

Arnica filed an answer in response to the amended complaint, in which it asserted a number of affirmative defenses and a counterclaim against plaintiffs. In its counterclaim, Arnica requests, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2201 and Rule 57 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, that the Court declare the Neidenbachs are barred from recovery and there is no coverage under the policy at issue. It alleges that the Neidenbachs intentionally destroyed their property, committed fraud and breached the policy. As a result of their conduct, Arnica also alleges in its Counterclaim that it is entitled to recover from the Neidenbachs all amounts the company paid by reason of the insurance claim, including advance payments to the Neidenbachs, payments to a mortgagee, amounts paid in the adjustment and investigation of the claim, and attorney’s fees. Arnica asks the Court to:

(1) determine the rights and obligations of the parties under the Policy and enter a judgment construing the Policy, including the applicable coverage provisions, exclusions, and conditions thereunder, in favor of Arnica; (2) declare that Arnica is entitled to recover the total amount of said advance payments and additional living expenses, the amount of any payment to a mortgage holder, and the amount of’expenses incurred in investigation, adjustment, and evaluation of the claim, including reasonable attorney’s fees; and (3) for any and all further relief that the Court deems just and proper, under the- circumstances. Doc. 19at 22.

In late 2014, Arnica moved that the Court enter summary judgment in its favor as to plaintiffs’ claims against the company, a motion that the Neidenbachs opposed. Arnica argued in its motion for summary judgment that the Neidenbachs were barred from recovering under the policy due to a number of material misrepresentations they made during the claims process. More specifically, Arnica argued that the amount plaintiffs claimed in their proof of loss differed dramatically from the amount they valued their personal property in connection with a bankruptcy petition they filed just one year prior to the fire. Arnica also argued that the Neidenbachs failed to inform Arnica about the existence of financial documents and other property items that they had moved to two storage units following the fire. Arnica further argued that the Neidenbachs concealed their involvement in the demolition of their home and the removal of their underground swimming pool before Arnica had completed its investigation. Finally, the company argued that the Neidenbachs failed to cooperate in Arnica’s investigation and filed suit prematurely, before Arnica had made any coverage decision.

In a Memorandum and Order dated March 10, 2015, the Court granted Arnica’s motion for summary judgment. The Court found the undisputed facts established that plaintiffs knowingly or willingly concealed [734]*734material facts relating to the insurance policy at issue in this case. More specifically, the Court found:

there is a huge discrepancy between the amount plaintiffs claimed for lost personal property in their Proof of Loss and what they listed in their bankruptcy petition, which cannot be explained as simply a difference in methods of calculation. Furthermore, plaintiffs’ contention that they merely claimed the policy limits is not supported by the record. Finding there is no other reasonable explanation for the great discrepancy between the Proof of Loss and the bankruptcy petition, the Court finds Arnica is entitled to judgment as a matter of law because plaintiffs knowingly or willing concealed or misrepresented to Arnica the nature and value of their personal property, which amounted to material misrepresentations that voided the Policy-

Doc. 58 at 16-7. Consequently, under the ' terms of the policy at issue, the Court found that there was no coverage. Having determined that there was no coverage under the policy at issue because the Neidenbachs misrepresented the value of their personal property, the Court declined to address Arnica’s alternative arguments for voiding the policy.

In the Memorandum and Order, the Court noted that there was a pending counterclaim, but that the summary judgment motion did not raise issues related to the counterclaim. For example, there was no evidence before the Court as to how much Arnica had paid to the Neidenbachs under the policy. However, “[i]n light of the fact that the Court has determined that there is no coverage under the Policy, the Court will vacate the trial date in this case, and order the parties to brief the issue as to what relief Arnica is entitled under its counterclaim.” Doc. 58 at 17. This is what is at issue presently before the Court.

In its Second Motion for Summary Judgment, Arnica asks the Court to declare that it is entitled to recover the amount of advance payments and living expenses it made to and on behalf of the Neidenbachs, and the expenses it incurred in its investigation, adjustment, and evaluation of the Neidenbachs’ claim. Arnica also requests that the Court award it attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses. Arnica further requests that the Court hold that it should indemnified from any claim by a mortgagee of the property.

II. Summary Judgment Standard

The Eighth Circuit has articulated the appropriate standard for consideration of motions for summary judgment, as follows:

Summary judgment is proper if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The movant bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and must identify those portions of the record which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. If the movant does so, the nonmovant must respond by submitting evidentiary materials that set out specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.

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Bluebook (online)
161 F. Supp. 3d 731, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15514, 2016 WL 492714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/neidenbach-v-amica-mutual-insurance-mod-2016.