University of Miami v. Great American Assurance Co.

112 So. 3d 504, 2013 WL 616156, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 2600
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedFebruary 20, 2013
DocketNo. 3D09-2010
StatusPublished

This text of 112 So. 3d 504 (University of Miami v. Great American Assurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
University of Miami v. Great American Assurance Co., 112 So. 3d 504, 2013 WL 616156, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 2600 (Fla. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinions

SUAREZ, J.

The University of Miami (“UM”) appeals an order granting final summary judgment in favor of Great American Assurance Company (“Great American”) in a declaratory action for indemnification of attorney’s fees and costs based on breach of a policy of insurance and bad faith. We reverse the final summary judgment in favor of Great American and, based on the facts of the UM claim, find that UM is entitled to be indemnified for attorney’s fees and costs incurred in this action.

UM was an additional named insured on a Great American commercial general liability policy insuring MagiCamp, which ran a summer swim camp for kids using the pool on the campus of UM. On July 18, 2000, Daniel Seguróla, a four-year-old child, was enrolled as a camper at Magi-Camp. He was pulled, unresponsive, from the bottom of the pool and was hospitalized with extensive injuries. His parents sued both MagiCamp and UM claiming the injuries were due to lack of supervision of the campers at the UM pool and that both, MagiCamp and UM, were each directly negligent, and UM also vicariously negligent, for the lack of supervision. Great American retained the services of one law firm to represent both MagiCamp and UM. MagiCamp filed an answer and affirmative defenses alleging that there was an intervening or superseding act, not under the control of MagiCamp, which caused the injuries, and that the resulting damages were caused, in whole or in part, by the fault of persons or entities other than MagiCamp. It is important to note that the only other entity being sued was UM. MagiCamp requested apportionment of damages based on the percentage of fault of the respective defendants and claimed it was entitled to indemnification and contribution from UM for the damages.1 The commercial general liability policy included a condition that the rights or duties applicable to the first named insured, Magi-Camp, applied as if each named insured were the only named insured and applied separately to each insured against whom a [506]*506claim was made.2

On February 12, 2001, the same day that MagiCamp filed its answer and affirmative defenses, UM advised Great American, by way of letter, that there was a conflict of interest in the single representation of both MagiCamp and UM, and UM demanded independent counsel of UM’s choice. The letter stated that any negligence which occurred was due to the negligence of MagiCamp and not UM. The insurer took the position that there was no conflict of interest in providing single counsel in the representation of both Magi-Camp, as a named insured, and UM, as an additional insured. The insurer refused to provide separate independent counsel for UM. UM retained its own counsel to protect its interest and, after the case was settled, brought this indemnification declaratory action requesting declaration by the trial court that Great American had breached its contractual duty to UM by refusing to provide separate and independent counsel. The declaratory action sought indemnification for the costs of UM’s defense, including attorney’s fees. In its answer and affirmative defenses, Great American asserted that it had no contractual, legal or professional obligation to provide separate and independent counsel to UM. Both sides moved for summary judgment.3 After significant litigation, and following mediation, cross motions for summary judgment were renewed. Great American took the position that, because MagiCamp was contractually bound to indemnify and hold harmless UM for any liability arising out of the use of its facilities by MagiCamp, there could be no conflict of interest in its single representation by counsel. The trial court granted Great American’s motion for final summary judgment and denied UM’s request for indemnification of attorney’s fees and costs.

An appellate court reviews a summary judgment de novo to determine whether, after viewing every inference in favor of the non-moving party, there is any genuine issue of material fact; if not, the appellate court must determine whether the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Volusia Cnty. v. Aberdeen at Ormond Beach, L.P., 760 So.2d 126 (Fla.2000); Building Educ. Corp. v. Ocean Bank, 982 So.2d 37 (Fla. 3d DCA 2008).

UM argued below and contends on appeal that there was a conflict of interest between MagiCamp and UM, as evidenced by the allegations in the pleadings, whereby the plaintiffs claimed both MagiCamp and UM were directly negligent and, whereby each defendant alleged that it was relieved of its separate responsibility for damages due to the negligence of the other defendant.

The precise question presented by this appeal and these facts has not been answered directly in Florida. Simply stated, the question presented is whether in this factual scenario, where both the insured and the additional insured have been sued, and the allegations claim that each is directly negligent for the injuries sustained, [507]*507a conflict between the insured and the additional named insured exists that would require the insurer to provide separate and independent counsel for each. We answer the question affirmatively.

The duty of an insurance company to participate in an action and defend is determined by the allegations in the complaint. New Amsterdam Cas. Co. v. Knowles, 95 So.2d 413 (Fla.1957); Fed. Ins. Co. v. Applestein, 377 So.2d 229 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979). An insurer’s conflict of interest in the duty to defend is determined properly on summary judgment. See All-Star Ins. Corp. v. Steel Bar, Inc., 324 F.Supp. 160 (N.D.Ind.1971).

UM relies on the following authorities, contending that Great American breached its duty under the policy to provide independent and separate counsel where there exists a conflict of interest between the insureds: See, e.g., Williams v. Am. Country Ins. Co., 359 Ill.App.3d 128, 295 Ull.Dec. 765, 833 N.E.2d 971, 980 (2005) (holding that a policy exclusion for intentional acts of an agent under the doctrine of respon-deat superior creates a conflict of interest with co-defendants requiring separate counsel where “it would be in [one co-defendant’s] best interest to present a defense that he was an agent of [the other co-defendant], while it would be in [the other co-defendant’s] best interest to establish the exact opposite”); Wolpaw v. Gen. Accident Ins. Co. v. Parker, McCay & Criscuolo, 272 N.J.Super. 41, 639 A.2d 338, 340 (1994) (holding that liability insurer violates its contractual duty and must retain separate and independent counsel for insured’s co-defendant where interests conflict in “maximizing the percentage of the other insured’s fault and minimizing their own” and the risk of judgment exceeds the policy limit); Bituminous Ins. Cos. v. Pa. Mfrs.’ Ass’n Ins. Co., 427 F.Supp. 539 (E.D.Pa.1976) (holding that an insured is entitled to reimbursement from its insurer based on its duty to defend because of the insured’s conflict with its co-defendant, reasoning that each defendant may attempt to absolve itself from liability by alleging the damage was caused solely by the negligence of the other). We agree with UM’s position.4

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

New Amsterdam Casualty Company v. Knowles
95 So. 2d 413 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1957)
Kala Investments, Inc. v. Sklar
538 So. 2d 909 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1989)
Federal Ins. Co. v. Applestein
377 So. 2d 229 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1979)
Building Educ. Corp. v. Ocean Bank
982 So. 2d 37 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2008)
Volusia County v. Aberdeen at Ormond Beach
760 So. 2d 126 (Supreme Court of Florida, 2000)
Lincoln Ins. Co. v. Home Emergency Services, Inc.
812 So. 2d 433 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2002)
Williams v. American Country Insurance
833 N.E.2d 971 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2005)
Spindle v. Chubb/Pacific Indemnity Group
89 Cal. App. 3d 706 (California Court of Appeal, 1979)
American Country Insurance v. Williams
791 N.E.2d 1268 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2003)
Wolpaw v. General Acc. Ins. Co.
639 A.2d 338 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1994)
Oda v. Highway Insurance
194 N.E.2d 489 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1963)
Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Royal Oak Enterprises, Inc.
344 F. Supp. 2d 1358 (M.D. Florida, 2004)
Public Service Mutual Insurance v. Goldfarb
425 N.E.2d 810 (New York Court of Appeals, 1981)
All-Star Insurance Corp. v. Steel Bar, Inc.
324 F. Supp. 160 (N.D. Indiana, 1971)
Graci v. Denaro
98 Misc. 2d 155 (New York Supreme Court, 1979)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
112 So. 3d 504, 2013 WL 616156, 2013 Fla. App. LEXIS 2600, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/university-of-miami-v-great-american-assurance-co-fladistctapp-2013.