Thrifty Financial Services, Inc. v. People's Service Insurance

20 Mass. L. Rptr. 199
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedOctober 25, 2005
DocketNo. 022191
StatusPublished

This text of 20 Mass. L. Rptr. 199 (Thrifty Financial Services, Inc. v. People's Service Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thrifty Financial Services, Inc. v. People's Service Insurance, 20 Mass. L. Rptr. 199 (Mass. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

Connors, Thomas A., J.

The present action commenced when the plaintiff, Thrifty Financial Services, Inc. (“Thrifty”), filed a four-count complaint against defendant Peoples Service Insurance Company (“Peoples”), alleging improper use of and failure to remit return premiums.2 Peoples responded to the claim and asserted a five-count counterclaim against Thrifty.3 In addition, Peoples asserted a third-party claim against the remaining defendants, seeking contribution for or indemnity from Thrifty’s claim. Thrifty now moves this court to grant partial summary judgment as to liability on all counts in the complaint and counterclaim.4

For the reasons that follow, the plaintiffs motion for summary judgment is ALLOWED IN PART, only as to each of the counterclaims brought against it. Thrifty’s motion for summary judgment on its claims against Peoples is DENIED, and pursuant to Rule 56(c), the court ORDERS that summary judgment enter on behalf of the defendant on each of Thrifty’s claims against it.

Background

The present suit concerns 86 insurance policies in which Thrifty financed premiums paid by insurance applicants to Peoples.5 Peoples provides applicants, who would otherwise be unable to obtain insurance, motor vehicle liability insurance in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws. For a variety of reasons set forth later in this decision, Peoples determined that the insureds in question required prepayment of the full premium prior to issuing insurance. In the event that a policy was cancelled, prior to the end of the year, however, the right to the balance of the insured’s pre-paid premium (the “return premium”) accrued to the insured or its assignee.

Thrifty loaned the applicants the full insurance premium amount, and under its note with the insured, it was entitled to a yearly interest rate, a finance charge, several additional fees, and the assignment of the insured’s right to any return premiums.6 This relationship between Thrifty and the insured amounted to a typical lender-borrower relationship under the promissoxy note.

In the present case, Peoples modified some of the 86 policies to increase coverage and, therefore, increase the overall premium. These modifications were made for various reasons: additional vehicles, additional operators, change of locations, and change of the operator ratings. The payments for the increased premium were deducted from the premium provided by Thrifty, which resulted in the depletion of that premium during the term of the pre-modified policy. At the heart of its claim is Thrifty’s allegation that this practice of deducting increased payments from premi[200]*200ums resulted in a wrongful reduction in the amount of the return premiums where policies had been can-celled prior to the end of the policy’s life.

Thrifty now moves this court for summaiy judgment on its claims against Peoples. Thrifty is seeking damages for wrongful conversion and violation of G.L.c. 175, §187B. In addition, Thrifty seeks, by way of declaratory relief, to prevent Peoples from deducting increased premium payments from pre-determined premiums. Finally, Thrifty also is seeking damages under G.L.c. 93A, alleging unfair and deceptive acts and practices, and it is moving for summary judgment on Peoples’ counterclaims.

Ruling

Summary judgment shall be granted where there are no genuine issues as to any material fact and where the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(e); Cassesso v. Commissioner of Correction, 390 Mass. 419, 422 (1983); Community National Bank v. Dawes, 369 Mass. 550, 553 (1976). The moving party bears the burden of affirmatively demonstrating the absence of a triable issue, and that the summaiy judgment record entitles it to judgment as a matter of law. Pederson v. Time, Incorporated, 404 Mass. 14, 16-17 (1989). The moving party may satisfy this burden either by submitting affirmative evidence that negates an essential element of the opposing party’s case or by demonstrating that the opposing party has no reasonable expectation of proving an essential element of his case at trial. Flesner v. Technical Communications Corporation, 410 Mass. 805, 809 (1991); Kourouvacilis v. General Motors Corporation, 410 Mass. 706, 716 (1991). Once the moving party establishes the absence of a triable issue, the party opposing the motion must respond and allege specific facts establishing the existence of a genuine issue of material fact. Pederson, 404 Mass. at 17. The nonmoving party cannot defeat amotion for summary judgment by resting on his pleadings and mere assertions of disputed facts. LaLonde v. Eissner, 405 Mass. 207, 209 (1989). In deciding a motion for summary judgment, the court may consider pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions on file and affidavits. Community National Bank, 369 Mass. at 553. Summaiy judgment may be rendered against the moving party when it is appropriate to do so. Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Locator Services Group v. Treasurer and Receiver General 443 Mass. 837, 851 (2005).

I. Thrifty’s Claims A. Wrongful Conversion (Count I)

The first count of the complaint alleges that Thrifty was contractually entitled to return premiums based on the original premium amount financed without deductions for increased premiums resulting from subsequent coverage increases. Thrifty alleges that Peoples wrongfully converted the amounts due it as return premiums in order to pay for these increases. “The elements of conversion require that a defendant be proved to have ‘intentionally or wrongfully exercised] acts of ownership, control or dominion over personal property to which he has no right of possession at the time.’ ” Bleicken v. Stark, 61 Mass.App.Ct. 619, 622 n.2 (2004), quoting Abington National Bank v. Ashwood Homes, Incorporated, 19 Mass.App.Ct. 503, 507 (1985); Grand Pacific Finance Corporation v. Brauer, 57 Mass.App.Ct. 407, 412 (2003). In the present case, Thrifty has failed to demonstrate that Peoples’ possession of the return premium amounted to a wrongful conversion.

Although Thrifty did stand in the place of the insured, as assignees, for any return premium on the policy, Peoples had no contractual relationship with Thrifty. Thrifty provided a loan to the insured, who in turn contracted with Peoples for insurance. “The deliveiy of a premium financing note by an insured . . . is presumed to have constituted payment of the premium . . . and the note must therefore be considered the property of the [insurance] company.” New England Acceptance Corporation v. American Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company, 4 Mass.App.Ct. 172, 180 (1976). At the time Peoples deducted the increased premium payments from the premium supplied by Thrifty to the insured, the premium belonged to and was in the control of Peoples. Therefore the premium was not Thrifty’s property, and its retention by Peoples did not constitute conversion of property.

B. Violation of G.L.c. 175, §187B (Count II)

Thrifty additionally asserts that it is entitled, as a financing entity, to maintain a cause of action which arises under Massachusetts law. G.L.c. 175, §187B; Commonwealth Automobile Reinsurers Rule 13; Massachusetts Private Passenger Automobile Insurance Rule 14. Specifically, Thrifty alleges that G.L.c.

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Bluebook (online)
20 Mass. L. Rptr. 199, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thrifty-financial-services-inc-v-peoples-service-insurance-masssuperct-2005.