Wells v. Westfield Insurance Co., Unpublished Decision (1-30-2001)

CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 30, 2001
DocketCase Nos. 99 CO 7, 99 CO 12.
StatusUnpublished

This text of Wells v. Westfield Insurance Co., Unpublished Decision (1-30-2001) (Wells v. Westfield Insurance Co., Unpublished Decision (1-30-2001)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wells v. Westfield Insurance Co., Unpublished Decision (1-30-2001), (Ohio Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION
This matter presents two timely appeals from judgments rendered by the Columbiana County Common Pleas Court, granting the motions for summary judgment of defendants-appellees, Westfield Insurance Co., et al., against plaintiff-appellant, Louise Wells and defendant-appellant, Carl Hoppel.

Carl Hoppel owned an apartment complex in Lisbon, Ohio, and was insured through Nationwide Insurance Company. In 1995, David Hoppel and his wife Bonnie Hoppel agreed to purchase the apartment from Carl. This agreement was memorialized by a bill of sale and deed, both of which were dated August 1, 1995. Carl gave his brother, David, the deed to the apartment, but David did not record the deed, as the brothers allegedly agreed that David would pay off the liens on the property before the deed was recorded.Since the liens could not be satisfied quickly, David decided that he would obtain insurance on the property. David sought insurance for himself, his wife Bonnie and for Carl. David's secretary subsequently contacted Robert Hodgson, an agent with F.W. Arnold Agency. She explained the situation to Hodgson, and also told Hodgson of David's desire to insure Carl on the policy as a co-owner. Hodgson discussed the situation with the customer service representative of F.W. Arnold Agency. (Hodgson Depo. 24). The customer service representative contacted Westfield Insurance Company, and explained the situation. Westfield thereafter issued an endorsement, naming Carl as an additional insured. (Rinto Depo. 47-48). However, the endorsement listed Carl as a lessor, instead of naming Carl as a co-owner. David told Carl that he added Carl as an additional insured under the Westfield policy. Based upon David's willingness to add Carl as an additional insured, Carl allowed his policy with Nationwide to lapse.

On April 17, 1996, Halene Springer, a tenant of the apartment complex, was crushed to death when the back of her porch collapsed. Appellant Louise Wells, acting as administratrix of Springer's estate, filed a wrongful death action against Carl and David. Both Nationwide and Westfield denied coverage to Carl. Nationwide based its denial upon the fact that the policy was canceled November 20, 1995, due to Carl's non-payment of premiums, and the cancellation was back-dated to October 1, 1995 by Nationwide's agent Ken Kibler. Westfield denied coverage stating that Carl was not an owner of the apartment at the time of the accident and did not have an insurable interest, and also refused to defend Carl. Carl neither obtained his own counsel nor answered the complaint, and as a result, had a default judgment entered against him. Wells thereafter filed a declaratory judgment action, requesting that the trial court declare Carl had insurance coverage at the time of the accident. Carl also filed a cross-claim against Kibler contending that Kibler was negligent in failing to offer him tail coverage.

Nationwide and Kibler filed a motion for summary judgment, and the trial court granted same on January 6, 1999. Carl appealed this decision. Thereafter Westfield, F.W. Arnold Agency and Hodgson all filed motions for summary judgment. Wells also filed a motion for summary judgment.

On January 20, 1999, the trial court granted the motions for summary judgment filed by Westfield, F.W. Arnold Agency and Hodgson, stating that Carl did not have coverage under the Westfield policy as he did not have an insurable interest. Wells appealed this decision. This court consolidated the appeals of both Carl and Wells.

Wells sets forth three assignments of error on appeal and Carl sets forth two assignments of error on appeal. However, since Wells' three assignments of error and Carl's first assignment of error have a common basis in law and fact, they will be discussed together and respectfully allege:

"THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN DENYING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT BY FINDING THAT CARL HOPPEL HAD NO INSURABLE INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT PROPERTY.

"THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN DENYING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT BY FINDING THAT THE ACTIONS OF WESTFIELD INSURANCE COMPANY AND ITS AGENTS DID NOT BIND WESTFIELD TO HONOR ITS CONTRACT OF INSURANCE WITH CARL HOPPEL.

"THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN DENYING PLAINTIFF'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT BY NOT ORDERING THE POLICY OF INSURANCE BE REFORMED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR CARL HOPPEL.

"THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN DECLARING THAT THE WESTFIELD POLICY DID NOT PROVIDE COVERAGE TO CARL HOPPEL."

Summary judgment is governed by Civ.R. 56(C), and in WelcoIndustries, Inc. v. Applied Cos. (1993), 67 Ohio St.3d 344, 346, the Ohio Supreme Court discussed the standard for granting summary judgment, stating:

"Under Civ.R. 56, summary judgment is proper when `(1) [n]o genuine issue as to any material fact remains to be litigated; (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; and (3) it appears from the evidence that reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and viewing such evidence most strongly in favor of the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made, that conclusion is adverse to that party.' * * * Trial courts should award summary judgment with caution, being careful to resolve doubts and construe evidence in favor of the nonmoving party."

Additionally, the Ohio Supreme Court in Dresher v. Burt (1996),75 Ohio St.3d 280, held that a moving party cannot discharge its initial burden under Civ.R. 56 by simply making a conclusory assertion that the nonmoving party has no evidence to prove its case. Rather, the moving party must be able to specifically point to some evidence of the type listed in Civ.R. 56(C) which affirmatively demonstrates that the nonmoving party has no evidence to support its claims. The Ohio Supreme Court, in Dresher, supra, further held that once the moving party has met its initial burden, the nonmoving party must then produce any evidence for which such party bears the burden of production at trial. In reviewing a trial court's decision to grant summary judgment, a court of appeals must conduct a de novo review of the record.

Renner v. Derin Acquisition Corp. (1996), 111 Ohio App.3d 326.

In Phillips v. Cincinnati Ins. Co. (1979), 60 Ohio St.2d 180, 181, the Ohio Supreme Court stated that a person must have an insurable interest in the subject matter of the insurance, otherwise the policy is void. The Ohio Supreme Court in Phillips, supra at 182, further stated that a person has an insurable interest in property when, "* * * he would profit by or gain some advantage by its continued existence and suffer some loss or disadvantage by its destruction."

Wells first argues that the transfer of property between Carl and David was not complete, and Carl did not relinquish title. Wells also maintains that transfer of a deed does not in itself establish an unconditional conveyance of title, but that there must be a mutual intention of the parties to pass title to the property described in the deed. Kniebbe v.Wade (1954), 161 Ohio St. 294, 297. In addition, Wells contends that the sale of the apartment from Carl to David was conditioned upon David paying off the liens on the property. Further, Wells submits that until the liens were paid off, title to the apartment remained with Carl.

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Bluebook (online)
Wells v. Westfield Insurance Co., Unpublished Decision (1-30-2001), Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wells-v-westfield-insurance-co-unpublished-decision-1-30-2001-ohioctapp-2001.