Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc. v. Michigan Mut. Ins. Co.

645 F. Supp. 596, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20033
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Missouri
DecidedSeptember 23, 1986
Docket85-1799C(3)
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 645 F. Supp. 596 (Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc. v. Michigan Mut. Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc. v. Michigan Mut. Ins. Co., 645 F. Supp. 596, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20033 (E.D. Mo. 1986).

Opinion

645 F.Supp. 596 (1986)

TAYLOR-MORLEY-SIMON, INC., Plaintiff,
v.
MICHIGAN MUTUAL INSURANCE CO., Defendant.

No. 85-1799C(3).

United States District Court, E.D. Missouri.

September 23, 1986.

Gerald A. Rimmel, David T. Weir, Susman, Schermer, Rimmel & Parker, St. Louis, Mo., for plaintiff.

Sam P. Rynearson, Evans & Dixon, St. Louis, Mo., for defendant.

*597 MEMORANDUM

HUNGATE, District Judge.

This matter is before the Court to determine the merits of plaintiff's claim after a one-day nonjury trial.

In general, plaintiff brings this action seeking a declaration that, pursuant to an insurance policy issued by defendant, (a) defendant must defend and indemnify plaintiff in a state court lawsuit; (b) defendant is liable for plaintiff's attorneys' fees expended in defense of that lawsuit to the date of this declaratory judgment; and (c) defendant is liable for plaintiff's attorneys' fees in this action. Plaintiff also asserts that based on representations of an agent of defendant, defendant is now estopped to deny plaintiff coverage under the insurance policy. Defendant contends exclusions of the policy preclude defendant's liability.

Having carefully considered the pleadings, testimony, stipulations, evidence, and the entire record herein, the Court hereby makes and enters the following findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Findings of Fact

1. Plaintiff, Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc., is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Missouri, with its principal place of business in the County of St. Louis, Missouri. Plaintiff is engaged in the construction business, including the construction of homes.

2. Defendant, Michigan Mutual Insurance Company, now known as Amerisure Companies, is a Michigan corporation with its principal place of business located in Michigan. Defendant is authorized to transact the business of selling insurance in the State of Missouri.

3. Associated General Insurance Company, one of defendant's insurance companies, issued a special multi-peril insurance policy, no. SAM G 86-0-C4619-2, to Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc. The policy was in effect at all relevant times and provides $100,000 per occurrence (or $200,000 aggregate) property damage liability coverage.

4. The comprehensive general liability insurance portion of the policy provides that:

The company will pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of
bodily injury or
property damage
to which this insurance applies, caused by an occurrence, and the company shall have the right and duty to defend any suit against the insured seeking damages on account of such bodily injury or property damage, even if any of the allegations of the suit are groundless, false or fraudulent, and may make such investigation and settlement of any claim or suit as it deems expedient, but the company shall not be obligated to pay any claim or judgment or to defend any suit after the applicable limit of the company's liability has been exhausted by payment of judgments or settlements.

(emphasis contained in policy through boldface type).

5. The policy explicitly defines "occurrence" and "property damage" as follows:

"Occurrence" means an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to conditions, which results in bodily injury or property damage neither expected nor intended from the standpoint of the insured;
* * * * * *
"Property Damage" means (1) physical damage to or destruction of tangible property which occurs during the policy period, including the loss of use thereof at any time resulting therefrom, or (2) loss of use of tangible property which has not been physically injured or destroyed provided such loss of use is caused by an occurrence during the policy period.

6. Section 1 of the policy explicitly excludes from comprehensive general liability insurance coverage:

*598 (a) ... liability assumed by the insured under any contract or agreement except an incidental contract; but this exclusion does not apply to a warranty of fitness or quality of the named insured's products or a warranty that work performed by or on behalf of the named insured will be done in a workmanlike manner;
* * * * * *
(1) ... property damage to premises alienated by the named insured arising out of such premises or any part thereof; (m) ... loss of use of tangible property which has not been physically injured or destroyed resulting from
(1) a delay in or lack of performance by or on behalf of the named insured of any contract or agreement, or
(2) the failure of the named insured's products or work performed by or on behalf of the named insured to meet the level of performance, quality, fitness or durability warranted or represented by the named insured;
but this exclusion does not apply to loss of use of other tangible property resulting from the sudden and accidental physical injury to or destruction of the named insured's products or work performed by or on behalf of the named insured after such products or work have been put to use by any person or organization other than an insured; and (n) ... property damage to the named insured's products arising out of such products or any part of such products.

Section VI(A)(3) of the broad form comprehensive general liability endorsement to the policy further excludes from coverage:

... property damage to work performed by the named insured arising out of such work or any portion thereof, or out of such materials, parts or equipment furnished in connection therewith.

7. In 1980, Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc., and Douglas K. McSherry and Bonnie J. McSherry entered into an agreement whereby the McSherrys would purchase, and Taylor-Morley-Simon would sell, certain real estate located at and known as 13941 Ladue Farm Road in St. Louis County, Missouri, with a home constructed thereon by Taylor-Morley-Simon, Inc. Thereafter, pursuant to a contract of sale and amendments thereto, Taylor-Morley-Simon conveyed the real estate and residence thereon to the McSherrys for good and sufficient consideration, and the McSherrys took possession thereof.

8. Approximately two years after the McSherrys took possession of the residence, they discovered that the concrete slab which supported a portion of their residence was sinking, allegedly because the slab was not supported by piers and the subsoil under the slab was not properly compacted. Because of the settling slab, the McSherrys asserted the walls and ceilings of the house started to crack, the hot and cold water lines and gas lines under the slab had become stressed, and the heating and air-conditioning ducts had torn loose, leaving minimal heat in part of the house. Further, the McSherrys noted the sewer line was unsupported. The McSherrys also claimed violation of the St. Louis County building codes in that (a) the natural gas line installed under the existing slab was not properly protected by conduits and proper venting; and (b) the heating ducts under the floor were not encased in two inches of concrete.

9.

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Bluebook (online)
645 F. Supp. 596, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20033, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/taylor-morley-simon-inc-v-michigan-mut-ins-co-moed-1986.