Southern Star International, Inc. v. Progressive Insurance

8 Am. Samoa 3d 77
CourtHigh Court of American Samoa
DecidedJune 28, 2004
DocketAP No. 11-02
StatusPublished

This text of 8 Am. Samoa 3d 77 (Southern Star International, Inc. v. Progressive Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering High Court of American Samoa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Southern Star International, Inc. v. Progressive Insurance, 8 Am. Samoa 3d 77 (amsamoa 2004).

Opinion

OPINION

Southern Star International, Inc., dba Hong Kong Restaurant (hereinafter “SSI”) and Kenny and Helen Young (“Youngs”), appeal from the Trial Division’s judgment granting Appellee Ainoama Fata (“Fata”) $100,000 under a Progressive flre/material insurance policy on a building Fata owned. The Youngs leased Fata’s building and used it as a restaurant. Appellee Progressive Insurance’s (“Progressive”) policy covered the building and its contents, which were destroyed when a restaurant employee negligently caused a fire.

Appellants allege that they are entitled to the policy proceeds as well as additional damages resulting from Progressive’s alleged bad faith in paying on the policy. In total, Appellants seek $200,000 in damages. For the reasons stated below, we affirm in part and reverse in part.

[79]*79Background

The facts are substantially undisputed. Fata owned a building in the village of Nu'uuli, on land under the pule of High Chief Falemalama Vaesa'u (“Falemalama”). Fata leased the building to the Youngs to use in the operation of the Hong Kong Restaurant. The Youngs also lived in and operated the Nu'uuli Store in a building owned or leased by them and located next to the restaurant. A third, smaller building was leased by the Youngs and used as a fast-food outlet. All three of the buildings in which the Youngs had insurable interest were covered by “Policy 720,” issued by Progressive, the named plaintiff. The first named defendant, SSI, is a Samoan corporation organized and controlled by the Youngs for the lawful purpose, as found by the Trial Division, of sponsoring aliens who could be employed as help in the Hong Kong Restaurant. The trial court found that SSI was the alter ego of the Youngs, and was so treated by the agents of Progressive, which insured the restaurant premises.

The only insurance contract directly at issue here is the portion of Policy 720 covering the restaurant building. Progressive offered, and the Youngs accepted, coverage amounting to $100,000 for the restaurant building, $50,000 for the restaurant building’s contents, and $150,000 for the adjacent building housing the Nu'uuli Store. These terms remained basically consistent through the various documents Progressive issued; however, there was no consistency in the named insureds listed on each of the documents. A written quote delivered to the Youngs by Progressive underwriter Tavita Taumua on May 18, 1999, addressed the Youngs. After the Youngs agreed to the quote, Taumua issued an insurance proposal (“Proposal”), detailing the coverage underwritten. SSI and the Youngs were listed as co-applicants on the Proposal and Falemalama, not Fata, was erroneously listed as the building’s owner. On June 2, 1999, Progressive issued a certificate of insurance (“Certificate”), which named SSI as the sole insured. The Certificate also referenced the Proposal as the controlling descriptive document. Three weeks later, Progressive issued a summary of coverage, which again named the SSI as the sole insured party.

On August 11, 1999, a fire, started in the restaurant, razed the restaurant building down to'its concrete foundation, slab, and part of a wall. The fire consumed the furnishings and equipment of the restaurant, for which loss Progressive paid SSI in response to a written claim. The fire also caused collateral damage to the Nu'uuli Store. Progressive agreed to pay a claim for that loss. But when the Youngs and the Progressive adjusters failed to agree on the amount of the loss of the restaurant building, trouble entered the previously amiable adjustment process. Fata, meanwhile, filed a claim to be recognized as the building owner and named as a loss payee.

[80]*80The Youngs wanted the face amount of the $100,000 policy, which exceeded by more than $30,000 the amount that Progressive was then willing to pay. Eventually, after an abortive attempt to settle all remaining claims for $64,300, Progressive paid this sum into court and filed this interpleader action, naming all the contending parties and others that were later deleted from the case. Fata cross-claimed against SSI and the Youngs for indemnification consistent with the tenns of the building lease.

After a three-day trial, the trial court ordered Progressive to pay $100,000 to Fata, on the theory that SSI had no insurable interest in the restaurant building, and that Fata was entitled to full indemnification from the Youngs.1

Standard of Review

The appellate court reviews a trial court’s factual determinations for clear error, and questions of law or mixed questions of law and fact de novo. Roman Catholic Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago v. Avegalio, 20 A.S.R.2d 70, 73 (App. Div. 1992). “A finding is ‘clearly erroneous’ when the entire record produces the definite and firm conviction that the court below committed a mistake.” E.W. Truck & Equip. Co. v. Coulter, 20 A.S.R.2d 88, 92 (App. Div. 1992). “In de novo review, the appellate court must review the record in light of its own independent judgment without giving special weight to the prior decision.” Amerika Samoa Bank v. Pacific Reliant Indus., 20 A.S.R.2d 102, 107 (App. Div. 1992).

Discussion

I. SSI’s Insurable Interest

A.S.C.A. § 29.1522(a) states:

Every interest in property ... of such a nature that a contemplated peril might directly damage the insured, is an insurable interest. A mere contingent or expectant interest in anything, not founded upon an actual right to or in the thing, nor upon any valid contract for it, is not insurable.

Following the statute, the record compels the conclusion that SSI had an insurable interest in the restaurant building. According to Kenny [81]*81Young’s uncontested testimony, SSI owned and operated the restaurant business. Although the trial court deemed it significant that the Youngs established SSI exclusively to “serve as an immigration conduit” for the restaurant, it matters not for what purpose SSI was fanned, so long as it owned the restaurant business. As the owner, it sustained a direct loss when the restaurant had to stop operating because of the fire. As indicated on the Proposal, SSI and the Youngs are the named insureds on Policy 720 and both SSI and the Youngs had insurable interests in the restaurant building.

II. Reformation of the Policy

An insurance policy is subject to the same rules of construction as any other contract. Plaza Dep‘t Store v. Duchnak, 26 A.S.R.2d 106, 108-09 (Trial Div. 1994). If an insurance contract is unambiguous, a court must “follow the prescriptions of the policy as written, and need look no further in resolving any disputes.” Asifoa v. Nat'l Pac. Ins. Co., 26 A.S.R.2d 24, 25-26 (Trial Div. 1994). If a policy is found to be ambiguous, however, a court should undertake farther inquiry to determine the intent of the parties. Id. at 26. An insurance contract may be reformed to reflect the actual intent of both parties, and it may be reformed after a loss has occurred. Plaza, 26 A.S.R.2d at 109. However, reformation is an “extraordinary remedy,” to be used only when there is mutual mistake or unilateral mistake coupled with actual or equitable fraud by the non-erring party. Mutual of Omaha Ins. Co. v. Russell, 402 F.2d 339, 344 (10th Cir. 1968).

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