Reinsurance Ass'n of Minnesota v. Timmer

641 N.W.2d 302, 2002 Minn. App. LEXIS 283, 2002 WL 378180
CourtCourt of Appeals of Minnesota
DecidedMarch 12, 2002
DocketC0-01-1681
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 641 N.W.2d 302 (Reinsurance Ass'n of Minnesota v. Timmer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reinsurance Ass'n of Minnesota v. Timmer, 641 N.W.2d 302, 2002 Minn. App. LEXIS 283, 2002 WL 378180 (Mich. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinion

*306 OPINION

HANSON, Judge.

This is an appeal from summary judgment in a declaratory judgment action. The district court ruled that the Farmer’s Comprehensive Personal Liability policy, issued by appellant insurer, provided coverage for claims made against the respondent insured arising out of the insured’s sale of diseased dairy cows. The district court concluded that the appellant insurer owed duties both to defend and to indemnify respondent insured.

Because we conclude that insured’s cattle sales operation is a “farm operation” under the policy’s language, and that some of the buyer’s claims arguably arise from an “occurrence” and do not fall under any of the policy's exclusions, we affirm the district court’s judgment as to the insurer’s duty to defend. But because we conclude that some of the buyer’s claims do not arise from an “occurrence” or fall under policy exclusions, we reverse the district court’s judgment as to insurer’s duty to indemnify. The insurer’s motion to supplement the record, to include new documents from the underlying action, is denied.

FACTS

Respondents Raymond F. Timmer and Roma Jean Timmer (Timmers) operate a farm in Long Prairie, Minnesota. Since 1988, the Timmers obtained Farmer’s Comprehensive Personal Liability insurance from appellant Reinsurance Association of Minnesota, now known as RAM Mutual Insurance Company (RAM). When the Timmers were sued by respondents David G. Johnstone and Diane M. Johnstone (Johnstones), they tendered the defense of that action to RAM. RAM then brought this action seeking declaratory relief.

In the underlying action, the Johnstones allege that the Timmers sold them 100 dairy cows, some of which were infected with bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) virus. At the time of the sale, the Timmers did not have 100 cows at their farm and obtained 72 of the cows from two other farms and delivered them directly from those two farms to the Johnstones. The Timmers then purchased the remaining cows at three separate auctions, brought these cows to their farm for approximately six days, and then delivered them to the John-stones. The Johnstones allege that the infected cows introduced the BVD virus into their herd, causing loss of milk production, breeding problems and the death of some animals. The Johnstones’ three-count complaint alleges claims for (1) breach of express and implied warranties, (2) fraud and misrepresentation, and (3) consumer fraud in violation of the Minnesota Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, Minn.Stat. § 325F.68-70.

RAM’s declaratory judgment action asserts that it has no duty to defend or indemnify the Timmers under the policy because the losses claimed by the John-stones arose out of the Timmers’ business activities, separate from their “farm operations”; did not arise out of an “occurrence”; and were the result of risks that were excluded by the policy. Both parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment.

The district court granted the Timmers’ motion for summary judgment, ruling both that RAM had a duty to defend and a duty to indemnify. The court concluded that the policy covered the Johnstones’ claims because, as a matter of law:

(1) the term “farm operations” was ambiguous and should be construed broadly against RAM to include the Timmers’ cattle sales operation;
*307 (2) the introduction of the FVD virus to the Johnstones’ herd was an “occurrence” under the RAM policy;
(3) the loss of or injury to the cows that were healthy before the delivery by the Timmers was “property damage” under the RAM policy;
(4) the consequential damages alleged by the Johnstones, if proven, represent “sums for which [the Timmers are] liable by law because of * * * property damage,” and thus are covered under the RAM policy;
(5) the policy exclusions, including “business activities,” “intentional acts,” “rendering of professional services,” and “owned property” are inapplicable to the undisputed facts;
(6) the “business-risk doctrine” and the “products-sold” exclusion apply only to the loss of or injury to the cows that were infected with the BVD virus before they were delivered by the Timmers to the Johnstones; and
(7) under the facts and circumstances, including RAM’s affirmative conduct on which the Timmers relied, RAM is estopped from denying its duty to defend and indemnify the Timmers.

The district court entered judgment against RAM. This appeal followed.

On appeal, RAM moved to supplement the record to include a transcript and an order of the district court in the John-stones’ case.

ISSUES

I. Should RAM’s motion to supplement the record be granted?

II. Did the district court err by construing the term “farm operations” to include the Timmers’ cattle-selling activities?

III.Are any of the Johnstones’ claims arguably within the coverage of RAM’s policy?

ANALYSIS

The district court can properly determine the construction and interpretation of insurance policies on a motion for summary judgment and appellate courts will review the district court’s decision de novo. See Brown v. State Auto. & Cas. Underwriters, 293 N.W.2d 822 (Minn.1980) (reviewing district court’s grant of summary judgment based on its construction and interpretation of insurance policy provisions); Am. Family Ins. Co. v. Walser, 628 N.W.2d 605, 609 (Minn.2001) (stating appellate courts’ standards of review of district court’s interpretation of an insurance policy). When interpreting insurance policies, appellate courts apply general principles of contract interpretation. Sphere Drake Ins. PLC v. Trisko, 24 F.Supp.2d 985, 991 (D.Minn.1998); Lobeck v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 582 N.W.2d 246, 249 (Minn.1998).

“An insurer assumes two duties to its insured: the duty to defend and the duty to indemnify.” St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Nat’l Chiropractic Mut. Ins. Co., 496 N.W.2d 411, 415 (Minn.App.1993), review denied (Minn. Apr. 29, 1993). “An insurer’s duty to defend is distinct from and broader in scope than the duty to indemnify.” Franklin v. W. Nat’l Mut. Ins. Co., 574 N.W.2d 405, 406 (Minn.1998). The duty to defend arises when any part of the claim against the insured is arguably within the policy’s scope. Metro. Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Miller, 589 N.W.2d 297, 299 (Minn.1999). If a complaint alleges several claims, and any one

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Bluebook (online)
641 N.W.2d 302, 2002 Minn. App. LEXIS 283, 2002 WL 378180, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reinsurance-assn-of-minnesota-v-timmer-minnctapp-2002.