Ross v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.

940 P.2d 252
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 17, 1997
DocketNumber 64564-7
StatusPublished
Cited by38 cases

This text of 940 P.2d 252 (Ross v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Ross v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 940 P.2d 252 (Wash. 1997).

Opinion

940 P.2d 252 (1997)

CLYDE ROSS, ET AL., Respondents,
v.
STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY, Petitioner.

Number 64564-7.

Supreme Court of Washington.

Argued May 21, 1997.
Decided July 17, 1997.

*253 Reed McClure, William R. Hickman, Danielle A. Hess, Seattle, for Petitioner.

Lee, Michaud & Isserlis, P.S., Kenneth L. Isserlis, Spokane, for Respondents.

Bryan P. Harnetiaux, Debra L. Stephens, Spokane, amicus curiae on behalf of Washington State Trial Lawyers Ass'n.

SMITH, Justice.

Petitioner State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company seeks review of a Court of Appeals decision which affirmed a summary judgment by the Spokane County Superior Court which granted underinsured motorist insurance coverage to Respondents Clyde and Betty L. Ross, husband and wife, under a policy on an automobile registered in the wife's name and insured in Washington for an accident the wife had in Washington while driving an automobile registered in the husband's name and insured in Montana. This Court granted review. We reverse.

QUESTION PRESENTED

The question presented in this case is whether a Washington resident, a married woman, injured in the State of Washington while driving an automobile insured in her name and the name of her husband by State Farm Insurance Company (State Farm) and registered only in the name of her husband in Montana, may recover Underinsured Motorist (UIM) benefits under another policy issued to them by State Farm covering an automobile registered and insured only in her own name in the State of Washington when that policy provides no UIM coverage for a "motor vehicle owned or available for the regular use of [the insured], [the insured's] spouse or any other relative, if it is not insured under the liability coverage of [the] policy."

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The facts in this case were stipulated by the parties.[1] Respondent Betty L. Ross was driving a 1980 AMC Eagle in Spokane, Washington on February 19, 1987 when she was injured in a collision with a Pizza Haven vehicle.[2]

Respondents Ross at all times material were husband and wife, living in the State of Washington and maintaining their family residence in Spokane. Because of work opportunities Respondent Clyde Ross maintained a temporary residence in Libby, Montana. His wife maintained the family residence in Spokane.

After moving to Washington about five years earlier, Respondents acquired a 1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, registered to Respondent Betty L. Ross and licensed in the State of Washington; and a 1980 AMC Eagle, *254 registered to Respondent Clyde Ross and licensed in the State of Montana where he was employed.[3] Both automobiles were insured by State Farm:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Automobile                                 Automobile
                        Registered to Betty L. Ross                Registered to Clyde Ross
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vehicle                 1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo                 1980 AMC Eagle
Location                Spokane, Washington                        Libby, Montana
Insurance               State Farm Insurance                       State Farm Insurance
                        Washington Policy Number                   Montana Policy Number
                        2615-663-A20-47                            XXXX-XXX-XX
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The vehicles were insured under two separate State Farm policies because State Farm would not insure the two automobiles under the same policy.

The 1980 AMC Eagle had a Montana certificate of title showing the owner's name and address as "Ross, Clyde E., Box 375, Libby, MT 59923."[4] It was purchased on September 30, 1986 in Montana and principally garaged there.[5] State Farm of Montana insured the Eagle for liability and uninsured motorist coverage, but not for underinsured motorist coverage.[6] Although Mr. Ross maintained a temporary residence in Montana, he would return to Washington on weekends to spend time with his wife.[7]

Respondents Ross could have elected to have underinsured motorist coverage under the Montana policy. They did not.[8] Under Montana law, they would not then be covered for it.[9] Respondents could have elected not to have underinsured motorist coverage under the Washington policy. They did not.[10] But under Washington law, they would have underinsured motorist coverage.[11] Thus the State Farm of Washington policy on the 1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo does provide underinsured motorist coverage while the State Farm of Montana policy on the 1980 AMC Eagle does not.[12]

Because of her employment, Ms. Ross lived in Spokane, Washington where she maintained the family residence. She usually drove the Chevrolet Monte Carlo which was registered in her name and principally garaged in Washington. State Farm of Washington insured the Monte Carlo for liability and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.[13]

The weekend before the accident the Rosses exchanged automobiles because the Monte Carlo required repairs and Mr. Ross took it to Montana for that purpose.[14] Ms. Ross was driving the Eagle in Spokane when she was involved in the accident. Respondents stipulated the Eagle was available for Ms. Ross' regular use "either as a driver or passenger, when she and her husband were together either in Washington or Montana."[15]*255 She stated that even though she could have driven the Eagle during her infrequent visits to Montana, she actually only drove it during the week the Monte Carlo was in Montana for repairs.

The parties filed cross motions for summary judgment in the Spokane County Superior Court.[16] On November 18, 1994, the Honorable Richard J. Schroeder granted partial summary judgment in favor of Respondents Ross, determining that the State Farm of Washington policy provided underinsured motorist coverage for the loss incurred by Ms. Ross while driving the Eagle on February 19, 1987.[17] The court also granted Respondents' request for attorney fees and costs as the prevailing parties on their UIM claim.[18] The court denied Respondents' claims under the Washington Insurance Act and Washington Consumer Protection Act. Those claims are not before this court.

On December 7, 1994, State Farm filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals, Division III.[19] That court, the Honorable John A. Schultheis writing, affirmed the trial court.[20] It concluded Respondents Clyde Ross and Betty L. Ross were not "spouses" as defined in the policy because, although Mr. Ross was Ms. Ross'"legal spouse," he was not in fact "living with" her at the time of the accident as the policy required under its definition of "spouse."[21] The court considered all the circumstances pertaining to ownership of the Eagle before concluding that, even though it was stipulated that Ms. Ross owned the Eagle, it referred to legal ownership under Washington community property law and not ownership contemplated by the policy.[22]

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
940 P.2d 252, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/ross-v-state-farm-mut-auto-ins-co-wash-1997.