Old Republic National Title Insurance v. Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co.

944 F. Supp. 2d 1327, 2013 WL 1943427, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66075
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedMay 9, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 2:12-CV-0004-RWS
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 944 F. Supp. 2d 1327 (Old Republic National Title Insurance v. Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Old Republic National Title Insurance v. Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co., 944 F. Supp. 2d 1327, 2013 WL 1943427, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66075 (N.D. Ga. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER

RICHARD W. STORY, District Judge.

This case is before the Court on Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment [27], Defendant’s Motion for Hearing Regarding Motion for Summary Judgment [28], Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment [29], and Plaintiffs Motion for Hearing Regarding Motion for Summary Judgment [33]. After reviewing the record, the Court enters the following Order.

Background

In a prior declaratory judgment action against Vincent Fitzgerald (“Fitzgerald”) and Rhett Burruss (“Burruss”) and their law firm Fitzgerald and Burruss, LLC (“F & B”), Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company (“Hartford”) obtained a default judgment from this Court that it had no duty to provide coverage under a professional liability policy and that the policy was rescinded (the “Hartford Declaratory Judgment Action”). (Defendant’s Statement of Material Facts (“Def.’s SMF”), Dkt. [27-18] ¶ 1.) Subsequent to this Court’s ruling, Old Republic National Title Insurance Company (“Old Republic”) obtained a consent judgment against Fitzgerald and F & B for various professional [1329]*1329negligence claims (the “Consent Judgment”). (Id. ¶ 2.) In the present action, Old Republic seeks to recover the amount of the Consent Judgment from Hartford. Hartford-F & B Professional Liability Policy

F & B purchased a professional liability insurance policy issued by Hartford, which named Fitzgerald, Burruss and F & B as Insureds (the “Policy”). (Id. ¶ 3.) The Policy was issued for the period beginning August 28, 2008 through October 27, 2008, renewed for the policy period October 27, 2008 through October 27, 2009, and renewed again for the policy period October 27, 2009 through October 27, 2010. (Id. ¶ 4.) The Policy was a “claims made and reported” policy, meaning that it covered only claims made and reported during the Policy period. (Id.)

Fitzgerald initially applied for the Policy on August 18, 2008. (Defendant’s Reply to Plaintiffs Response to Defendant’s Statement of Material Facts (“Def.’s Reply SMF”), Dkt. [39] ¶ 5.) The application contained a number of questions to be answered “yes” or “no.” (Def.’s SMF, Dkt. [27-18] ¶ 5.) These questions are routinely asked of applicants seeking lawyers’ professional liability insurance through Hartford, and the answers are used by Hartford’s underwriting department to make a decision as to whether to accept the applicant as an insured for the issuance of a policy. (Id. ¶ 6.)

Question No. 10 on the application asks: “Is any member of the firm aware of any act, error or omission that could result in a professional liability claim being made?” (Id. ¶ 7.) Fitzgerald answered “no” to this question. (Def.’s Reply SMF, Dkt. [39] ¶ 7.) In reliance on Fitzgerald’s representations in the August 18, 2008 application, Hartford issued the Policy. (Id. ¶ 8.) On August 9, 2010, Fitzgerald completed another application for renewal of coverage with Hartford. (Id. ¶ 9.) Question No. 8 on the renewal application asks: “Is any member of the firm aware of any act, error, or omission that could result in a professional liability claim being made?” Again, Fitzgerald answered “no.” (Id.) In reliance on Fitzgerald’s representations in the renewal application, Hartford renewed the Policy from October 27, 2010 to October 27, 2011. (Def.’s SMF, Dkt. [27-18] ¶ 10.) The Policy was cancelled on December 27, 2010, at the request of the Insureds. (Id. ¶¶ 4 n. 1,11.)

The Policy, effective August 18, 2008 through October 27, 2010, provided as follows:

Subject to the limits of liability, the company shall pay on behalf of the insured all sums ... by reason of any act, error or omission ... the insured shall become legally obligated to pay ... provided always that: (1) The insured’s liability arises out of the insured performing or failing to perform professional services for others; (2) Such damages result from a claim that is first made against the insured during the policy period and is reported in writing to the Company immediately but in no event later than sixty (60) days after the expiration of the policy period; ... (4) As of the effective date of this coverage form, no insured knew or could have foreseen that such act, error or omission, or personal injury could result in a claim.

(Id. ¶ 12; Pl.’s SMF, Dkt. [29-1] ¶ 3.) The Policy contains the following exclusions:

A. This insurance does not apply to:

1. Claims arising out of an act, error, omission, ... committed by the insured or at the insured’s direction with actual dishonest, fraudulent, criminal or malicious purpose or intent ...;
[1330]*133013. Claims arising from defects in title of which the named insured had knowledge at the date of issuance of such title insurance;
14. Any claim based upon or arising out of breach of underwriting authority by the insured in his capacity as title insurance agent.

(Def.’s SMF, Dkt. [27-18] ¶ 13.) In the event of a claim, the Policy provides that an insured must cooperate with Hartford. Specifically, it provides:

The insured shall cooperate with the company. At the company’s request, the insured will submit to examination and interrogation under oath, as requested by a representative of the company. The insured, at the request of the company and without charge to the company, shall: ... (3) give written statements to the company’s representatives and meet with such representatives for the purpose of investigation and defense.

{Id. ¶ 15.) Further, the Policy states:

No action shall lie against the Company unless, as a condition precedent thereto, the insured shall have fully complied with all the terms of the coverage form and the amount of the insured’s obligation to pay shall have been finally determined ... by final judgment against the insured. Any person who, or organization which, has secured such judgment ... shall thereafter be entitled to recover under this coverage form to the extent of the insurance afforded by this coverage form.

(Pl.’s SMF, Dkt. [29-1] ¶ 4.)

The Policy further provides that all coverage is “subject to the limits of liability as set forth in the declarations and to all the exclusions, conditions, and all other terms of this coverage form and the policy which forms part of it.” (Def.’s SMF, Dkt. [27-18] ¶ 14.) The Policy also states: “In granting coverage under this coverage form, the company has relied on the representations made in the process of applying for the policy. All such representations are the basis of coverage under this insurance.” (Defi’s Reply SMF, Dkt. [39] ¶ 16.) And:

In the event misrepresentations are made or the insured fails to state facts which materially affect the acceptance of the risk or the hazard assumed by the company under this coverage form, this insurance in its entirety shall be void and of no affect whatsoever.... Any statements or misrepresentations made to any agent of the company shall be deemed to be made to the company itself.

{Id.) Finally, the Policy states:

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Bluebook (online)
944 F. Supp. 2d 1327, 2013 WL 1943427, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 66075, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/old-republic-national-title-insurance-v-hartford-accident-and-indemnity-gand-2013.