Scottsdale Insurance v. International Protective Agency, Inc.

19 P.3d 1058, 105 Wash. App. 244
Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided February 2, 2001·No. No. 25766-1-II·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

Houghton, J.

Scottsdale Insurance Company (Scottsdale) appeals a denial of its summary judgment motion. Scottsdale sought a declaratory judgment that it had no duty to defend or indemnify International Protective Agency, Inc. (IPA), its insured, against claims that IPA’s negligence and breach of its security contract resulted in Northwest Visions of University Place (Northwest Visions) losing its liquor license and business. Because the record is [246] devoid of evidence of loss of use of tangible property, we reverse and remand.

FACTS

Scottsdale insured IPA under a commercial lines insurance policy. The policy, under a specific endorsement for security and patrol agencies, provides coverage for sums that IPA would be legally obligated to pay because of “any negligent act, error or omission [committed by IPA or any person for whom they were legally responsible] which results in. . . ‘property damage’ committed during the policy period[.]” Clerk’s Papers at 36. The policy also provides that Scottsdale would have the duty to defend any lawsuit seeking those sums.

The policy defines property damage as:

a. Physical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of that property. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the physical injury that caused it; or
b. Loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the “occurrence” that caused it.

Clerk’s Papers at 50. In addition, the policy requires that an “occurrence” cause the property damage. Clerk’s Papers at 39. According to the policy, “ ‘[o]ccurrence’ means an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.” Clerk’s Papers at 49.

IPA provided security services at a restaurant Northwest Visions owned and operated called Cheers West. Under the service contract, IPA agreed to be responsible for crowd control and safeguarding of property within the restaurant and parking area. In particular, the security contract provided that:

IPA, Inc. agrees to indemnify and save harmless Jamie’s Investments, Inc.,[1] its management, and employees against [247] any and all claims, including claims for reasonable legal costs, fees and expenses for injury to persons or property damage . . . resulting directly or indirectly from any act, incident or accident occurring in, upon or about Cheers West as a result of acts, errors or omissions of IPA, Inc. or its employees resulting from the performance of this agreement.

Clerk’s Papers at 16.

Northwest Visions and its on-site manager, Michael Oleson, sued IPA under theories of negligence and breach of contract, alleging that IPA’s services included “checking and policing customers, so that minors were not admitted to the premises [.]” Clerk’s Papers at 13. The lawsuit claims that a minor gained admission and that, consequently, Northwest Visions lost its liquor license, thereby “destroying the business of Cheers West and causing great economic loss to it and its manager, Michael Oleson.” Clerk’s Papers at 14.

IPA tendered its defense to its insurer, Scottsdale, which agreed in May 1995 to defend the action unless it determined during its investigation there was no coverage. Scottsdale noted that breach of contract was not covered because it was not included in the definition of an occurrence. In August 1996, Scottsdale told IPA that the insurance policy did not require Scottsdale to defend or indemnify IPA on the basis that Northwest Visions and Oleson had not claimed any property damage. Northwest Visions and Oleson amended their complaint adding Scottsdale as a defendant for wrongfully and unlawfully denying insurance coverage to IPA but left their other allegations unchanged.

Scottsdale then brought a separate action against Northwest Visions, Oleson, and IPA,2 seeking “a declaration that it [had] no duty to defend or indemnify IPA under the policy for the claims asserted in the lawsuit by Northwest Visions and Oleson against IPA.” Clerk’s Papers at 5. The trial court denied Scottsdale’s summary judgment motion and Scottsdale appeals.

[248] ANALYSIS

Standard of Review

In reviewing an appeal from a summary judgment, the reviewing court is in the same position as the trial court.

On appeal of summary judgment, the standard of review is de novo, and the appellate court performs the same inquiry as the trial court. Nivens v. 7-11 Hoagy’s Corner, 133 Wn.2d 192, 197-98, 943 P.2d 286 (1997). When ruling on a summary judgment motion, the court is to view all facts and reasonable inferences therefrom most favorably toward the nonmoving party. Weyerhaeuser Co. v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 123 Wn.2d 891, 897, 874 P.2d 142 (1994). A court may grant summary judgment if the pleadings, affidavits, and depositions establish that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Ruff v. King County, 125 Wn.2d 697, 703, 887 P.2d 886 (1995); see also CR 56(c).

Lybbert v. Grant County, 141 Wn.2d 29, 34, 1 P.3d 1124 (2000).

Duty to Defend

Scottsdale’s duty to defend IPA exists if the “complaint contains any factual allegations which could render the insurer liable to the insured under the policy.” Hayden v. Mut. of Enumclaw Ins. Co., 141 Wn.2d 55, 64, 1 P.3d 1167 (2000). We liberally construe the pleadings in favor of the insured. Prudential Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Lawrence, 45 Wn. App. 111, 115, 724 P.2d 418 (1986). “ ‘The key consid eration in determining whether the duty to defend has been invoked is whether the allegation, if proven true, would render [the insurer] liable to pay out on the policy.’ ” Kirk v. Mt. Airy Ins. Co., 134 Wn.2d 558, 561, 951 P.2d 1124 (1998) (alteration in original) (quoting Farmers Ins. Co. v. Romas, 88 Wn. App. 801, 808, 947 P.2d 754 (1997), review denied, 135 Wn.2d 1007 (1998)). Scottsdale’s duty to indemnify [249] depends upon “the insured’s actual liability to the claimant and actual coverage under the policy.” Hayden, 141 Wn.2d at 64.3

We begin our analysis by examining the policy’s provisions to see if the complaint’s allegations are conceivably covered. Hayden, 141 Wn.2d at 64.

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Scottsdale Insurance v. International Protective Agency, Inc., 19 P.3d 1058, 105 Wash. App. 244 (Wash. Ct. App. 2001).

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