Northern Security Insurance v. Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust

24 Mass. L. Rptr. 500
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedJuly 3, 2008
DocketNo. BACV200500215
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 24 Mass. L. Rptr. 500 (Northern Security Insurance v. Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust) 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
Northern Security Insurance v. Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust, 24 Mass. L. Rptr. 500 (Mass. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

Nickerson, Gary A., J.

INTRODUCTION

The Plaintiff, Northern Security Insurance, sought a declaration pursuant to G.L.c. 231A as to whether the policy it issued to one of the defendants, the Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust, provided coverage in an underlying lawsuit, and if so, the extent of the reasonable attorneys fees incurred by the Defendants. The defendants have counterclaimed for declaratory judgment and attorneys fees, and have further asserted that the Plaintiff violated G.L.c. 93A and G.L.c. 176D. This matter is before the Court on the Defendants’ motion for summary judgment and the Plaintiffs cross motion for summary judgment. For the reasons discussed below, both motions are allowed in part and denied in part.

BACKGROUND

The undisputed facts and the disputed facts viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party as revealed by the summary judgment record are as follows. In early 2000, the Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust assessed a $1,000 fine on a unit owner after a pipe burst in her unit damaging another unit and the condominium’s basement.2 The $1,000 assessment reflected the insurance deductible for the repair work. The unit owner refused to pay and the trust placed a lien on her unit. After the unit owner paid the $1,000 assessment, the trust refused to release the lien because of $17,000 in attorneys fees and costs. Ultimately, the unit owner paid the additional $17,000 under protest.

Litigation commenced in the Massachusetts District Court and the unit owner and the trust entered a stipulation of dismissal, with prejudice. Nonetheless, in April 2004, the unit owner commenced an action in the Massachusetts Superior Court against the condominium trust, the trustees, and the properly manager, Andrew Witter.3 The instant case largely turns upon the allegations within the unit owner’s complaint. The complaint included five counts: Count I - negligence based upon the trust exceeding its authority: Count II - negligence based upon the trust’s invalid and improper regulation of an interior unit; Count III - negligence based upon the trust having insufficient evidence to determine whether a violation of the temperature rule caused the pipe to burst; Count IV - negligence against Witter for lack of authority to assess a fine; and Count V - against Witter for unfair deceptive acts and practices. Of note, in Count III, the unit owner alleged that the trustees breached their fiduciary duty to her. Upon receipt of the complaint, the trust forwarded the complaint to its insurer, Northern Security Insurance.

The trust holds an insurance policy issued by Northern Security Insurance Company showing Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust as the insured on the declarations. The policy includes a Commercial General Liability Coverage Form and a Directors and Officers Liability Endorsement.

The relevant portions of the CGL Form provide:

1. Insuring Agreement
a. [Northern Security] will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of “bodily injury” or “property damage” to which this insurance applies. We will have the right and duty to defend the insured against any “suit” seeking those damages. However, we will have no duty to defend the insured against any “suit” seeking damages for “bodily injury” or “property damage” to which this insurance does not apply. We may, at our discretion, investigate any “occurrence” and settle any claim or suit that may result
b. This insurance applies to “bodily injury” and “property damage” only if: ■
(1) The “bodily injury” or “property damage” is caused by an “occurrence” that takes place in the “coverage territory,” and
(2) The “bodily injury” or “property damage” occurs during the policy period.
17. “Property damage” means:
a. Physical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of that property. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of physical injury that caused it; or
b. Loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the “occurrence” that caused it.
13. “Occurrence” means an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.
SECTION II - WHO IS AN INSURED
2. Each of the following is also an insured:
b. Any person (other than your “employee”), or any organization while acting as your real estate manager.

The relevant portions of the Directors and Officers Endorsement provide:

1. [Northern Security] will pay those sums you become legally obligated to pay as damages arising out of any negligent act, error, omission or breach of duly directly related to the management of the premises, shown in the Declarations. This endorsement applies to any negligent act, error, omission or breach of duty which:
a. Occurs during the policy period; or
b. Occurred prior to the policy period where:
[502]*502(1) At the effective date of this endorsement you had no knowledge or could not have reasonably foreseen any circumstance which might result in a claim or suit, and
(2) There is no other insurance applicable to such negligent act, error omission or breach of duty . . .
3. Persons Insured. Each of the following is an insured with respect to this coverage, but only to the extent set forth below:
a. Your directors and officers, but only while acting within the scope of their duties for you.
b. You with respect to your liability for the negligent act, error, commission or breach of duly committed by an officer or director.
c. All persons, past or present, their estates, guardians or legal representatives who were directors or officers of at the time of the negligent act, error, omission or breach of duty.

The summary judgment record consists largely of letters exchanged between Northern Security and the Trust’s attorney after Northern Security received the complaint. In a letter dated May 13, 2004, Northern Security agreed to assume the defense of the condominium trust and the trustees under a reservation of rights. Northern Security further specified an attorney to whom it would assign the defense. In a separate letter dated May 13,2004, Northern Security indicated that it would not provide a defense to Witter because he did not qualify as an insured under the endorsement. A week later, however, in a letter dated May 20, 2004, Northern Security agreed to include Witter under a similar reservation of rights and subject to several additional conditions.

In a letter dated June 18, 2004, the trust’s attorney responded to Northern Security’s offer by claiming that Northern Security could not appoint an attorney because it had agreed to provide a defense under a reservation of rights.

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Related

Northern Security Insurance v. Sandpiper Village Condominium Trust
25 Mass. L. Rptr. 595 (Massachusetts Superior Court, 2009)
Northern Security Insurance v. R.H. Realty Trust
25 Mass. L. Rptr. 185 (Massachusetts Superior Court, 2009)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
24 Mass. L. Rptr. 500, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/northern-security-insurance-v-sandpiper-village-condominium-trust-masssuperct-2008.