Robert J. McRell Associates, Inc. v. Insurance Co. of North America

698 F. Supp. 469, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11747, 1988 WL 116435
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedOctober 12, 1988
DocketNo. 86 Civ. 0005 (RWS)
StatusPublished

This text of 698 F. Supp. 469 (Robert J. McRell Associates, Inc. v. Insurance Co. of North America) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Robert J. McRell Associates, Inc. v. Insurance Co. of North America, 698 F. Supp. 469, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11747, 1988 WL 116435 (S.D.N.Y. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION

SWEET, District Judge.

The plaintiff Robert J. McRell Associates, Inc. (“McRell”) sought by its complaint to recover damages from defendant Insurance Company of North America (“INA”) arising out of INA’s termination of its relationship with McRell in 1985. Both parties moved for summary judgment, and after the disposition of those motions, the remaining McRell claim for its share of lost premiums was tried to the court from June 29 to July 5, 1988. Final arguments and submissions were made on July 28. On the findings of fact and conclusions of law set forth below, judgment will be entered with costs for McRell.

Although the issues of contract interpretation, previously dealt with, are not without difficulty, the principal facts surrounding the dispute are not at issue. During the first six months of the one-year contract period, McRell wrote over $22 million worth of insurance policies for INA under circumstances which INA concluded made it necessary to terminate McRell’s authority. The creation of the relationship between the parties and its performance, by and large, are not here in dispute. For the purposes of the present resolution, one principal factual issue is presented — whether INA by its Termination Letter and attendant conduct precluded McRell from soliciting further business in July and August of 1985. Finding that such was the effect [471]*471of INA’s communications and acts results in the grant of judgment to McRell. To place that determination in context, the pri- or proceedings and underlying facts must be set forth.

Prior Proceedings

After the filing of the complaint and the completion of discovery, both McRell and INA sought summary judgment. The issues which had been raised were determined by an opinion of December 23, 1987, 677 F.Supp. 721.

The Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth causes of action for unfair competition, tor-tious interference with contract, defamation and fraudulent misrepresentation contained in McRell’s amended complaint were dismissed by the grant of INA’s motion for summary judgment on those causes of action. In addition, the portion of McRell’s Second cause of action which sought damages for INA’s failure to permit McRell to continue servicing insurance policies that were extended beyond their regular expiration dates by operation of state law or by INA’s action was dismissed. McRell’s motion for summary judgment was granted in part with respect to the claims contained in its First cause of action for breach of the agreement between the parties.

The factual findings set forth in the December 23 opinion remain undisturbed by the evidence presented at trial, and those findings are hereby adopted as consistent with the facts adduced at trial as set forth below.

The Facts

The Parties and the Background of the Dispute

McRell was and is a New Jersey corporation with its principal place of business located at the Middlesex Business Center, 200-D Corporate Court, South Plainfield, New Jersey. INA was and is a Pennsylvania corporation licensed to transact business in New York with offices at 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036.

During the relevant period, McRell was engaged in the business of designing, promoting, administering and managing insurance programs on behalf of industry associations and of contracting with local insurance agents and brokers for the placement of insurance through McRell on behalf of subscribers to such programs. In that capacity, in March, 1979 McRell was retained by the United Bus Owners of America (“UBOA”) to serve as UBOA’s insurance coordinator for a period of ten years. McRell’s responsibilities as insurance coordinator were to provide, maintain and develop programs of insurance beneficial to the UBOA membership. UBOA is a major nationwide association which has members in approximately 49 states and the District of Columbia. Its membership consists of operators of charter buses, municipal buses, tour and sightseeing buses, airport transportation vehicles and other passenger transportation vehicles.

In 1979, upon its retention as UBOA’s insurance coordinator, McRell designed and developed an insurance program (the “UBOA Program”) for the protection and benefit of UBOA members. The UBOA Program provided automobile liability, automobile physical damage, general liability, excess liability, workers’ compensation and related insurance coverage to UBOA members who subscribed.

McRell negotiated with Guarantee Insurance Company (“Guarantee”), which became in September, 1979 the underwriting carrier — with McRell performing as the administrator — of the UBOA Program. As the administrator of the UBOA Program, McRell was, among other things, responsible for reviewing insurance applications received on behalf of UBOA members, analyzing the insurance risk, determining whether to accept the risk, calculating the premium rate for the risk, quoting the rate to the prospective insured or agent, processing and issuing the policy if the rate were accepted, billing and collecting premiums, sending out nonrenewal and cancellation notices where applicable, and maintaining records with respect to all of the foregoing. McRell promoted its UBOA Program to UBOA members by providing promotional materials which were distributed [472]*472at UBOA conventions and through UBOA mailing lists.

Also, as administrator of the UBOA Program, McRell entered into agreements with certain local insurance agents and brokers throughout the United States (the “Local Agents”). The Local Agents were appointed by McRell to solicit, in their respective localities or regions, applications from UBOA members desiring to subscribe to the UBOA Program, to transmit those applications to McRell for processing, and to receive commissions from McRell based on premiums written under the UBOA Program pursuant to those applications. As of September 1979, McRell had such agreements with approximately five Local Agents.

Guarantee continued to be the underwriting carrier of the UBOA Program through June 30, 1980. By that date, approximately 100 UBOA members subscribed to the UBOA Program, the amount of gross written premiums under the Program was approximately $3,750,000.00, and McRell had agreements with approximately 25 Local Agents who solicited and placed with McRell applications for insurance under the UBOA Program.

During the period July 1, 1980 through June 30, 1983, National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (“National Union”) was the underwriting carrier of the UBOA Program. Also during that period, McRell continued as the administrator of the UBOA Program with the same duties as before. As of June 30, 1983, the concluding date of National Union’s underwriting of the UBOA Program, in excess of 1,000 UBOA members subscribed to the UBOA Program, the amount of annual gross written premiums under the UBOA Program was approximately $23,000,000 and McRell had agreements with approximately .100 Local Agents who solicited and placed with McRell applications for insurance under the UBOA Program.

In or about the latter part of 1981, McRell also became the administrator of a second insurance program, also insured by National Union, operated on behalf of members of the National School Transportation Association (“NSTA”). The program (the “NSTA Program”) provided NSTA members with insurance coverage similar to that offered UBOA members under the UBOA Program. (The UBOA Program and the NSTA Program have been referred to by the parties as the “Programs”).

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
698 F. Supp. 469, 1988 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11747, 1988 WL 116435, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/robert-j-mcrell-associates-inc-v-insurance-co-of-north-america-nysd-1988.