Western Fire Ins. v. Hawkeye-Security Ins.

213 F. Supp. 744, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3296
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Missouri
DecidedDecember 3, 1962
DocketNo. 13490-3
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 213 F. Supp. 744 (Western Fire Ins. v. Hawkeye-Security Ins.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Missouri primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Western Fire Ins. v. Hawkeye-Security Ins., 213 F. Supp. 744, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3296 (W.D. Mo. 1962).

Opinion

DUNCAN, District Judge.

This action was instituted in this court by the plaintiff, a Kansas corporation, against the defendant, an Illinois corporation, to determine the liability of the defendant under a Garage Owner’s Liability policy issued by it to Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc., and Shawnee Garage, Inc., of Shawnee, Kansas.

The amount in controversy exceeds the sum of $10,000.00. The matter is before this court on an Agreed Statement of Facts, which includes all of the policies and the various provisions thereof; applications for licenses and the certificates of title that were involved in the controversy.

The Agreed Statement of Facts sets out in detail a number of matters that are not particularly important to a determination of the issues, and I shall briefly state pertinent agreed facts, quoting portions from those submitted to the court.

Some time prior to September 17, 1960, the Fisher Chevrolet acquired, through trade, a 1952 Chevrolet automobile, Motor No. KAA 561765. At that time Joanne E. Hoffman (now Joanne E. Bryant), was employed by the said Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc., in its office, and she expressed a desire to purchase the above described automobile. She was permitted by one of the officers of the company to drive the car home on trial and for the purpose of acquainting herself with the operation of a manual shift car.

On September 19, 1960, Joanne E. Bryant accompanied by her mother (apparently Joanne E. Hoffman was a minor), advised the secretary of Fisher Chevrolet Company that they had decided to purchase the automobile, and a check made payable to Fisher Chevrolet Company was given covering the purchase price.

The automobile originally was purchased by James A. and Edna Barnes from the Hilliard Chevrolet Company in Kansas City, Missouri, and titled in the State of Kansas on September 29, 1952. On September 19, 1960, Edna B. Barnes transferred, assigned and delivered the title thereto to the Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc.

Following payment of the purchase price by Joanne E. Bryant on September 19, 1960, possession of the automobile was delivered to her by the Fisher Chevrolet Company, but no certificate of title was reassigned or delivered by it to Joanne E. Bryant and Nellie M. Hoffman.

At the time of the delivery of said automobile to Joanne E. Bryant, it was agreed that she might use said automobile for her own convenience, and also use the Fisher Chevrolet Company’s dealer’s license tag from September 19, 1960 to October 3, 1960. At this latter date, the Fisher Chevrolet Company agreed to reassign, transfer and deliver the aforesaid certificate of title to the said Chevrolet to Joanne E. Bryant and/or Nellie M. Hoffman.

“This agreement was not made for the purpose of defrauding any third person or any bonafide purchaser. It was further agreed between Joanne E. Bryant and Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc. that during the period from September 19, 1960, to October 3, 1960, while said dealer’s license tag of Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc. was being used by her in connection with the operation of said Chevrolet automobile, said automobile would be used by Joanne E. Bryant only in travelling from her home to and from her place of employment at said Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc. Said agreements were entered into so that Joanne E. Bryant could save the expense of an additional quarterly license fee which would have been due the State of Kansas if said Chevrolet car had been titled in her name prior to October, 1960.”
[746]*746“On September 19, 1960, Joanne E. Bryant requested that her mother notify the agent for plaintiff The Western Fire Insurance Company that said 1952 Chevrolet should be added, by endorsement, to the existing policy of insurance No. J-93-78-28 and, on September 19, 1960, said 1952 Chevrolet was added by endorsement to that policy.”

Photostatic copies of the endorsement and the policy are made a part of the Agreed Statement.

On October 3, 1960, in accordance with the agreement at the time of the payment of the purchase price, the automobile company executed and delivered to Joanne E. Bryant, the certificate of title to the automobile. This was transmitted to the Kansas Highway Commission and a new certificate issued.

On September 30, 1960, Joanne E. Bryant while operating the said motor vehicle on her way home from work, was involved in a collision with a car operated by Emanuel Bernard, Jr. At that time she was still an employee of the Fisher Chevrolet Company,—

“but at the time of said accident she was on no mission or business for her said employer, and was not acting as its agent or within the scope' of her employment and her actions were not in any way controlled by the Fisher Chevrolet Company.”

At the time of the collision she was operating the motor vehicle under the Kansas dealer’s license issued to the Fisher Chevrolet Company, Inc. Suit was brought against the said Joanne E. Bryant by Emanuel Bernard, Jr., for the sum of $94,488.63 together with costs, and that case is now pending in the District Court of Johnson County, Kansas.

It is the contention of the plaintiff that the defendant is liable under the terms of its policy for its prorata share of any settlement or judgment that may be rendered as a result of the operation of said automobile. The provisions of the Hawk-eye policy relied upon to sustain its position, are as follows:

“Insuring Agreements
“I Coverage A•—Bodily Injury Liability.
“To pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury, sickness or disease, including death at any time resulting therefrom, sustained by any person, caused by accident and arising out of the hazards hereinafter defined.
“Division 1—Premises—Operations —Automobiles.
“The ownership, maintenance or use of the premises for the purpose of an automobile sales agency, repair shop, service station, storage garage or public parking place, and all operations necessary or incidental thereto; and the ownership, maintenance or use of any automobile in connection with the above defined operations, and the occasional use for other business purposes and the use for non-businesspurposes of (1) any automobile owned by or in charge of the named insured and used principally in the above defined operations, and (2) any automobile owned by the named insured in connection with the above defined operations for the use of the named insured, a partner therein, and executive thereof, or a member of the household of any such person.
“Division 2. Premises—Operations —Automobile Not Owned or Hired. The ownership, maintenance or use of the premises for the purpose of an automobile repair shop, service station, storage garage or public parking place, and all operations necessary or incidental thereto, and the use in connection with the above defined operations of .any automobile not owned or hired by the named insured, a partner therein or a mem-[747]*747her of the household of any such person.”
“Definition of Insured.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
213 F. Supp. 744, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3296, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/western-fire-ins-v-hawkeye-security-ins-mowd-1962.