Rockford Mutual Insurance Co. v. Pirtle

911 N.E.2d 60, 2009 Ind. App. LEXIS 1048, 2009 WL 2447759
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 11, 2009
Docket77A01-0802-CV-94
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 911 N.E.2d 60 (Rockford Mutual Insurance Co. v. Pirtle) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rockford Mutual Insurance Co. v. Pirtle, 911 N.E.2d 60, 2009 Ind. App. LEXIS 1048, 2009 WL 2447759 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

OPINION

KIRSCH, Judge.

Rockford Mutual Insurance Company ("Rockford") appeals from a jury verdict in favor of Terrey E. Pirtle in his action against Rockford for breach of contract. Rockford raises the following issues for our review:

I. Whether Pirtle's recovery under the policy is limited to the actual cash value of the building because of Pir-tle's failure to comply with the repair and replacement cost policy provision of his policy;
II. Whether Pirtle's suit was barred by the contractual one-year-limitation period provision in the policy; and
III. Whether Pirtle's damages can include consequential damages and amounts exceeding policy limits.

We affirm.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Pirtle purchased an historic building located at 900 Maple Avenue in Terre Haute, Indiana by obtaining a mortgage *63 for $140,250.00 and insured the building through a policy with Rockford. The building was used as a rental property while Pirtle was restoring it. By early 1999, the historic building was valued at $165,000.00; however, it was damaged in an accidental fire on November 11, 2000.

After the fire, Pirtle made a claim under his policy, and Rockford assigned the claim to one of its claim supervisors, who hired an independent adjuster to prepare a damage estimate for the building. The independent adjuster estimated the damage to the building at $79,907.49. Rockford's claim supervisor gave the independent adjuster authority to settle the claim for $80,000.00. Pirtle rejected the claim because it was not enough to satisfy the mortgage or to repair the building. Because of the damage to the building, Pirtle was unable to continue to lease the building to tenants.

Pirtle hired a contractor, Kevin Maher, who estimated the damage to the building at $232,915.39 in 2001. 1 A second Rockford claims supervisor, Andy Clark, was assigned to Pirtle's claim and accepted Maher's damage estimate after noticing that no other contractors had submitted a quote or would complete repairs using the independent adjuster's damage estimate. Clark then obtained authority to settle Pir-tle's claim for up to $193,000.00, Rockford's policy limits for the dwelling.

Pirtle hired an attorney, David Bolk, who received an offer from Clark of $69,874.62, representing what Rockford considered to be the "actual cash value" of the building. Clark explained to Bolk that he arrived at this number by using Maher's estimate less depreciation. Bolk made a demand for the policy limits under Coverage A less a 10% discount. Clark informed Bolk that he could not pay the Coverage A policy limits because he was only authorized to offer the actual cash value of the building. Clark explained that, while Pirtle's policy included replacement cost coverage, Pirtle would only be entitled to payment under the replacement cost coverage onee repairs or replacement of the building had been completed. Clark told Bolk that the actual cash value was an arbitrary figure used if the building was going to be repaired, and was often used as seed money to start repairs to insured buildings. Again, Clark offered what he considered to be the actual cash value of the building and proposed hiring a certified real estate appraiser to resolve the dispute over the actual cash value amount. Bolk did not respond to the offer.

The independent adjuster completed a comparative analysis in May 2001, which set the actual cash value of the building at $86,146.66. Pirtle retained other counsel 2 and filed suit against Rockford on September 24, 2001. Pirtle's complaint alleged breach of contract and bad faith. The bad faith claim was dismissed with prejudice when Rockford paid $86,146.66 for the building's actual cash value, which Pirtle accepted while continuing to contest the actual cash value used.

Rockford filed a motion for summary Judgment alleging that Pirtle's recovery was limited to actual cash value because the building had not been repaired or replaced. Rockford argued that Pirtle was ineligible to receive payment for replacement cost coverage because he had not repaired or rebuilt the building. The motion for summary judgment was denied.

*64 Rockford filed a motion in limine seeking 1) to limit Pirtle's recovery to applicable policy limits and 2) to bar consequential damages. The trial court's order on the parties' motion in limine pleadings denied Rockford's attempts to limit Pirtle's recovery of consequential damages and amounts above policy limits.

At the conclusion of the jury trial, Rockford was found to be in breach of contract. The jury awarded Pirtle $124,149.55 under the insurance policy and $406,136.58 in consequential damages for an aggregate award of $524,286.18. Rockford's motion to correct error again sought to have Pir-tel's award capped at policy limits, The trial court denied the motion to correct error. Rockford now appeals.

DISCUSSION AND DECISION

A jury is to be afforded great latitude in making damage award determinations. City of Carmel v. Leeper Elec. Servs., Inc., 805 N.E.2d 389, 393 (Ind.Ct.App.2004). A verdict will be upheld if the award falls within the bounds of the evidence. Id. On review of such an award, the appellate court will neither reweigh the evidence nor judge the eredibility of the witnesses. The evidence will be looked at in a light most favorable to the judgment. Id. (quoting City of Elkhart v. No-Bi Corp., 428 N.E.2d 43, 45 (Ind.Ct.App.1981)).

I. Actual Cash Value

Rockford argues that Pirtle is limited to recovering only the actual cash value of the building because Pirtle failed to repair and replace the building after the fire, a condition precedent to receiving payment under that coverage. In March of 2002, Rockford paid Pirtle $86,146.66, which was Rockford's calculation of the actual cash value.

Rockford's insurance policy provided Pirtle with replacement coverage up to $193,000.00 for the building, up to $8,000.00 for personal property, and up to $19,300.00 for fair rental value. Rockford's policy further provided as follows:

5. Loss Settlement. Covered property losses are settled as follows:
(c) Buildings under coverage A or B at replacement cost without deduction for depreciation, subject to the following:
(4)When the cost to repair or replace the damage is more than $1,000 or more than 5% of the amount of the insurance in this policy on the building, whichever is less, we will pay no more than the actual cash value of the damage until actual repair or replacement is completed.

Appellant's App. at 198-99. The parties appear to agree that the cost to repair or replace the building falls within the conditions of paragraph 5(e)(d) of Rockford's policy.

Rockford argues that the terms of the insurance contract are clear and unambiguous and must be given effect.

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

Related

David Buck v. Samaron Corporation (mem. dec.)
Indiana Court of Appeals, 2020
Cordova v. American Family Mutual Insurance Co.
700 F. App'x 762 (Ninth Circuit, 2017)
Stephens & Stephens XII v. Fireman's Fund Ins.
California Court of Appeal, 2014
Stephens & Stephens XII, LLC v. Fireman's Fund Insurance
231 Cal. App. 4th 1131 (California Court of Appeal, 2014)
Erie Insurance Exchange v. Troy Sams and Teresa Sams
20 N.E.3d 182 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2014)
Green v. Allstate Insurance
25 F. Supp. 3d 1215 (D. Alaska, 2014)
L.H. Controls, Inc. v. Custom Conveyor, Inc.
974 N.E.2d 1031 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
911 N.E.2d 60, 2009 Ind. App. LEXIS 1048, 2009 WL 2447759, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rockford-mutual-insurance-co-v-pirtle-indctapp-2009.