Van Wyck Associates v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance

115 Misc. 2d 447, 454 N.Y.S.2d 266, 1982 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3706
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 7, 1982
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 115 Misc. 2d 447 (Van Wyck Associates v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Van Wyck Associates v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance, 115 Misc. 2d 447, 454 N.Y.S.2d 266, 1982 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3706 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1982).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Harold Hyman, J.

Plaintiff commenced this action for a judgment declaring the defendants to be obligated to furnish plaintiff with indemnification and a defense to all claims asserted against it arising from an “occurrence” which took place at a certain premises on July 24, 1980.

The complaint, in brief, alleges that on May 28,1979 up to January 12, 1980, plaintiff was the “owner” of certain described premises; that defendant St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance Company (hereinafter St. Paul) issued its liability insurance policy to it covering the said described premises, and defendant Continental Insurance Company (hereinafter Continental) issued its “umbrella excess” third-party liability policy, both of which policies were effective through May 28, 1980. That on January 12, 1980 plaintiff conveyed title to said premises to the New York City Industrial Development Agency, at which time (Jan. 12, 1980) plaintiff canceled said policies.

[448]*448On July 24,1980 a fire or explosion occurred at or in said premises resulting in various direct and third-party actions being brought against plaintiff for personal injuries and death based upon plaintiff’s alleged negligence in the ownership, operation and control of said premises.

The complaint further alleges that “since the plaintiff * * * has [had] no other function except * *'* as owner * * * until January 12, 1980, any act or omission which could serve as a predicate for a finding of liability against plaintiff in any of the aforesaid actions * * * of necessity occurred prior to January 12, 1980.”

The complaint continues, alleging that prompt notice of the fire, explosion and occurrence was thereupon given to both defendants, but that defendants did not respond thereto, which resulted in plaintiff believing that in the event any claim or suit for personal injuries or wrongful death be brought against it directly or indirectly arising from the July 24, 1980 occurrence that defendants would defend and indemnify it.

Continuing: Prior to March, 1982 plaintiff was named as defendant or third-party defendant in various suits arising out of the July 24, 1980 occurrence; and, plaintiff forwarded the processes to defendants. Thereafter, on March 17,1982, defendant St. Paul notified plaintiff that it would defend and indemnify plaintiff to the extent of the coverage except as to punitive damages (a copy of said communication is annexed to the moving papers).

Two days later, on March 19, 1982, the defendant St. Paul “hand delivered” to plaintiff a communication dated that day, restating its position regarding coverage; it therein called plaintiff’s attention to the fact that the policy was canceled (admittedly at the request of plaintiff) on January 12, 1980, that the alleged negligence and “occurrence” took place on July 24, 1980 and, that, according to the terms of the policy the definition of “bodily injury” means such as was “sustained by * * * occurs during the policy period”, and, therefore, based upon the above that no obligation existed upon it (St. Paul) to defend or indemnify plaintiff for injuries and/or damages which were sustained subsequent to the cancellation of the policy.

[449]*449On May 24, 1982 the March 19, 1982 communication was supplemented, but defendant’s position, taken in its March 19, 1982 letter was again reiterated.

Defendant St. Paul moved to dismiss the complaint under CPLR 3211 (subd [a], pars 1, 7). Defendant Continental was not served with defendant St. Paul’s moving papers herein, since it has not appeared or answered and, according to plaintiff, is in default thereof.

Plaintiff, in opposition to the motion, argues (1) that movant did not “disclaim” or “deny coverage” “as soon as is reasonably possible” in accordance with subdivision 8 of section 167 of the Insurance Law; (2) defendant is liable under the terms of the policy because the “occurrence” was a result of acts or omissions which occurred during the time it owned the building — coextensive with that period of time during which the policy was in force; (3) since St. Paul received notice of the “occurrence” in July, 1980 and made no comment one way or the other that plaintiff, therefore, had the right to assume that defendant would assume the defense and would indemnify it, particularly so since any theory of liability which could be asserted against plaintiff was parallel in time to defendant’s insurance coverage of plaintiff, and (4) defendant waived and is estopped to deny coverage.

In Zappone v Home Ins. Co. (55 NY2d 131, 137), Judge Meyer, writing for the majority of the Court of Appeals, stated: “The purpose for which subdivision 8 of section 167 [Insurance Law] was enacted was to avoid prejudice to the insured, the injured claimant * * * each of whom could be harmed by delay in learning of the carrier’s position * * * It was not, however, to provide an added source of indemnification which had never been contracted for and for which no premium had ever been paid.'' (Emphasis added.)

Herein the plaintiff itself had canceled the policy on January 12,1980 and had thus terminated its relationship to defendant some five months prior to the “occurrence”. Under such circumstances there simply was no insurance at all with regard to the “occurrence” of July 24,1980 and, therefore, no obligation could be imposed upon the insurer to disclaim or deny (Zappone v Home Ins. Co., supra, p 139; [450]*450see, also, Perez v Hartford Acc. & Ind. Co., 31 AD2d 895, 896, affd 26 NY2d 625, which inferentially held that subdivision 8 of section 167 of the Insurance Law does not require notice with respect to a policy which has been terminated). Whether the relationship no longer exists because a policy has been terminated or never came into existence is simply irrelevant, the result is the same (Zappone v Home Ins. Co., supra, pp 139, 140). In the latter-cited case the dissenters (p 143) also recognized the law to be that “When a policy has been terminated or canceled, there is no predicate for application of the statute” (Insurance Law, § 167, subd 8).

Plaintiff’s contention, therefore, that it was entitled to a denial or disclaimer within a reasonable time after it gave notice of the July 24, 1980 “occurrence” pursuant to subdivision 8 of section 167 of the Insurance Law, and that failing to receive such from defendant prior to the commencement of suits based upon such occurrence, that it had the right to rely upon such silence as being indicative of coverage, is without substance.

Plaintiff contends that the definitions in the policy of the terms “occurrence” and “bodily injury” sustain its position that coverage must be afforded it because the “bodily injuries” were sustained as a result of acts or omissions which occurred during the time it owned the building, a time coextensive with the time the policy was in force. The court does not agree.

The policy defines an “occurrence” to mean “an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to conditions, which results in bodily injury * * * neither expected nor intended from the stand point of the Insured”; and “bodily injury” is defined as “bodily injury sustained by any person which occurs during the policy period”. (Emphasis added.)

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Bluebook (online)
115 Misc. 2d 447, 454 N.Y.S.2d 266, 1982 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 3706, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/van-wyck-associates-v-st-paul-fire-marine-insurance-nysupct-1982.