State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. Doe

946 P.2d 1333, 130 Idaho 693, 1997 Ida. LEXIS 124
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 8, 1997
Docket22010
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 946 P.2d 1333 (State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. Doe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. Doe, 946 P.2d 1333, 130 Idaho 693, 1997 Ida. LEXIS 124 (Idaho 1997).

Opinions

Substitute Opinion

The Court’s Prior Opinion Dated January 3,1997, is Hereby Withdrawn.

SCHROEDER, Justice.

This is an appeal from a declaratory judgment issued by the district court holding that applicable insurance policies do not provide coverage for injuries sustained by a minor child as a result of sexual contact with a minor child of the insured. Jane and John Roe, individually and as guardian ad litem for their minor child, appeal the district court’s declaratory judgment, asserting that this conduct is not excluded from coverage by the insurance policies.

I.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR PROCEEDINGS

John and Jane Doe operated a day care business in their residence in Boise from [694]*6941973 through August 1991. The facility operated under both city and state licenses authorizing care for up to twelve (12) children per day. The three year-old daughter of Jane and John Roe attended the day care from March 1988 to July 1991. She was never at the residence other than as a client of the day care.

The Does’ thirteen year-old son helped out at the day care. He acknowledged that sexual conduct with the Roes’ daughter occurred in the downstairs bathroom of the facility between late 1990 and July 1991. The Does’ son told the Roes’ daughter that a “green monster” would get her if she told anyone. In July 1991 she told her mother what had happened to her at the day care. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company (State Farm) insured the Does under succeeding homeowners and umbrella insurance policies. Homeowners Policy No. 12-15-0041-8 (“Homeowners I”) ran from April 11, 1989, through April 10, 1990. It was renewed for an additional year from April 11, 1990, through April 10, 1991. It was renewed in amended form (“Homeowners II”) for a third year from April 11, 1991, through April 10, 1992. State Farm also provided the Does with liability umbrella coverage under Policy No. 12-27-1823-3 from June 12, 1989 through June 11,1992.

The Roes brought suit against the Does alleging the legal theories of assault, breach of contract, negligent entrustment, negligent supervision, negligent misrepresentation, negligent failure to notify a business invitee of a dangerous condition, failure to report child abuse under section 16-1619 of the Idaho Code and civil claims for commission of a criminal act of lewd conduct, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, or injury to a child (I.C. Section 6-1701). State Farm provided a defense for this action under a reservation of rights. The Roes’ action was grounded on the sexual abuse of their daughter and the alleged accompanying failure of John and Jane Doe to identify and to prevent their son’s conduct.

State Farm brought this declaratory judgment action seeking a determination that the sexual abuse is outside its policy coverage, asserting that the policies do not obligate it to defend or indemnify the Does against the allegations and claims in the Roes’ action. The Roes petitioned to intervene in the action, alleging that the Does did not have sufficient assets to cover the cost of defense or pay any judgment.

The district court granted summary judgment for State Farm, relying on Mutual of Enumclaw v. Wilcox, 123 Idaho 4, 843 P.2d 154 (1992). The district court held that the sexual abuse was not an “accident” or “occurrence” under the policy. The court cited Wilcox for the legal definition of “accident” as it is used in insurance policies:

An accident within accident insurance policies is an event happening without any human agency, or if happening through such an agency, an event which, under the circumstances, is unusual and not expected by the person to whom it happens. A more comprehensive term than “negligence”, and in its common signification the word means an unexpected happening without intention or design.
n. 1. an undesirable or unfortunate happening, unintentionally caused and usually resulting in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap; automobile accidents. 2. An event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause

Memorandum and Order Granting Amended Motion for Summary Judgment (citing Wilcox, 123 Idaho at 9, 843 P.2d at 159 (1992) (citations omitted)). The district court referred to the conduct as “intentional acts of sexual abuse” and analogous to the conduct of Mr. Wilcox in Wilcox.

The district court also held, on alternative grounds, that the defense and indemnification of the Does were excluded under the Business Pursuits Exclusion of the homeowners policies, the Business Operations Exclusion of the umbrella policy and the Child Care Services Exclusion applicable to all the policies.

II.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

Summary judgment is appropriate if motions are based on the same evidentiary facts [695]*695and on the same theories and issues, when parties effectively stipulate that there is no genuine issue of material fact. I.R.C.P. 56(c); Morrissey v. Haley, 124 Idaho 870, 865 P.2d 961 (1998). Summary judgment is proper when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Bunker Hill Co. v. United Steelworkers of America,, 107 Idaho 155, 686 P.2d 835 (1984). A motion for summary judgment must be denied if reasonable people could reach differing conclusions or draw conflicting inferences from the record of the case. Cates v. Albertson’s Inc., 126 Idaho 1030, 895 P.2d 1223 (1995). Upon motion for summary judgment, all facts and inferences must be drawn in favor of the nonmoving party. Perkins v. Highland Enters., Inc., 120 Idaho 511, 817 P.2d 177 (1991).

When questions of law are presented, this Court exercises free review and is not bound by findings of the district court, but is free to draw its own conclusions from the evidence presented. Automobile Club Ins. Co. v. Jackson, 124 Idaho 874, 876, 865 P.2d 965, 967 (1993).

III.

THE CONDUCT AT ISSUE DID NOT CONSTITUTE AN “OCCURRENCE” THAT WOULD CREATE LIABILITY UNDER THE POLICIES.

Under the coverage provision of the State Farm homeowner policy there is liability coverage for an insured when a claim is made or suit is brought against an insured based on an “occurrence.”1 The policy defines an “occurrence” as an accident, including exposure to conditions, which result in bodily injury or property damage.2 Under the umbrella liability policy, coverage is provided if the insured is legally obligated to pay damages for a “loss.”3 The policy defines “loss” as an accident that results in personal injury or property damage.4 Each policy limits liability coverage to “accidents;” however, the policies do not set forth definitions for “accident.”

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State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. v. Doe
946 P.2d 1333 (Idaho Supreme Court, 1997)

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Bluebook (online)
946 P.2d 1333, 130 Idaho 693, 1997 Ida. LEXIS 124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-farm-fire-and-casualty-co-v-doe-idaho-1997.