Westfield Insurance v. Enterprise 522, LLC

34 F. Supp. 3d 737, 2014 WL 3735213, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102961
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedJuly 29, 2014
DocketCase No. 12-15373
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 34 F. Supp. 3d 737 (Westfield Insurance v. Enterprise 522, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Westfield Insurance v. Enterprise 522, LLC, 34 F. Supp. 3d 737, 2014 WL 3735213, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102961 (E.D. Mich. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER DECLARING JUDGMENT FOR FIRE COVERAGE IN FAVOR OF ENTERPRISE AND DISMISSING FRAUD AND INDEMNITY CLAIMS (Doc. # s 46, 47, and 49)

VICTORIA A. ROBERTS, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

For years, Westfield Insurance Company (“Westfield”) continuously renewed commercial building fire insurance coverage to Enterprise 522, LLC (“Enterprise”), even when it became clear that Kearns Insurance Agency Inc. (“Kearns”), acting as agent for Westfield and Enterprise, mistakenly stated on Enterprise’s initial application for coverage in 2003, that Enterprise had an automatic sprinkler system.

In fact, ás late as 2011, an inspector reported to Westfield that no automatic sprinkler system was in place. Nonetheless, Westfield renewed the policy requiring that the automatic sprinkler system be maintained, reducing the premium because of an automatic sprinkler system on the premises. When a fire in 2012 totally destroyed Enterprise’s commercial building, Westfield denied coverage because the automatic sprinkler system was not there.

Westfield seeks a declaratory judgment that fire coverage is precluded. Enterprise filed a counterclaim:

1. Count I: Declaration that the damage is covered;
2. Count II: .Indemnity, requesting payment for all amounts paid to fix the building, including 12% penalty interest under MCL 500.2006, And alternatively;
[741]*7413. Count III: Reformation of the contract to state the parties original intent to include fire coverage;
4. Count IV: Recovery for silent fraud; and
5. Count V: Damages for misrepresentation.

Kearns intervened and filed a counterclaim alleging that the insurance coverage is illusory. Kearns says Westfield’s coverage violates MCL 500.2006, unfair trade practice. Kearns also requests that the Court exercise equity and reform the insurance contract to-provide coverage.

All parties move for summary judgment on their respective claims.

The Court declares that coverage was in place at the time of the loss and Westfield must pay Enterprise. The Court GRANTS Enterprise’s and Kearns’ motion for declaratory judgment and DENIES declaratory judgment in favor of Westfield. The Court need not decide the alternative arguments, but notes that reformation is proper. The Court DENIES and DISMISSES Enterprise’s claim for indemnity and penalty interest; this argument is not briefed.

The Court GRANTS Westfield’s motion and DISMISSES Enterprise’s counterclaim of silent fraud and misrepresentation; Enterprise’s and Kearns’ motions for judgment on these claims are DENIED.

II. BACKGROUND

Kearns employs licensed insurance agents to sell insurance. Kearns has agreements (“Agency Agreement”) with insurance companies allowing it to quote and bind coverage; one of those companies is Westfield. The Agency Agreement with Westfield allows Kearns “to solicit applications, bind coverage, countersign, deliver and endorse insurance policies.” The Agency Agreement also has an indemnification clause which says “The Agent shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless from and against liability for damage arising out of any Agent error or omission in the preparation or handling of any insurance policy or billing procedure to which this Agreement applies .... ”

Kearns says that when quoting insurance, its agents enter information into a system which generates a dollar amount for the risk. If the potential insured accepts the coverage and quote, an application with property information is completed. If the insured is not available to sign the application, Kearns’ agents submit the application to insurance underwriters without the insured’s signature. Kearns’ agents then give a copy of the application to the insured for review; insurance is bound. The selected insurance company’s underwriters review the risk and issue a policy.

Gary Fletcher, an owner of Enterprise, was delegated the duty to find coverage for the property; he used Kearns to secure commercial insurance for the property for roughly twenty years. In 2003, the insurance company which Fletcher selected left Kearns’ network, requiring him to switch insurance companies or leave Kearns.

Fletcher’s testimony is that he did not want to leave Kearns; he instructed Kearns to handle the insurance issue, i.e., secure new coverage for the building with a company in network. Kearns recommended Westfield.

To get a Westfield quote, Kearns submitted information about Enterprise’s property. Fletcher accepted the terms of the quote and Kearns prepared the application. Mistakenly, Kearns selected a box saying that the property had an automatic sprinkler system. A premium reduction was given for the sprinkler system.

[742]*742Kearns testimony is that after completing the application, it mailed a copy to Fletcher. Fletcher testified that he did not receive a copy of the application and did not even know that an application was required. Fletcher verified with others at Enterprise; all say no application was received.

Because the existence of a sprinkler system could not be verified through Westfield’s preliminary search in 2003, an inspection was ordered by Westfield’s underwriter to confirm the presence of an automatic sprinkler system. The 2003 inspection report did not confirm the existence of a sprinkler system, rather it said: “FIRE PROTECTION: ... are the following satisfactory? ... Sprinkler System: N/A.”

Westfield issued the policy before this inspection was performed and continued to re-issue it after review of the 2003 inspection report. The policy had an exclusion: “as a condition of insurance [Enterprise] is required-to maintain the protective devices or services listed in the schedule above.” P-1 is the code for automatic sprinklers and it was not listed in the schedule. The schedule said “Information required to complete this Schedule, if not shown above, will be shown in the Declarations.” P-1 was referenced in the Declarations, but not listed as a limitation on coverage; instead, it was listed under “Optional Coverages.”

The full policy was provided to Kearns. Enterprise disputes that it received a copy of the policy; it says it only received a declaration page listing coverage, which does not provide details about exclusions. Enterprise did not request a complete policy before filing its claim. Kearns’ testimony is that Westfield sent the policy to Kearns which, in turn, mailed it to Enterprise.

Westfield continued to issue this same policy until 2011. In 2011, Westfield requested a second inspection of Enterprise’s building. At the hearing before this Court, Westfield said that this inspection was requested because Westfield thought that Enterprise’s premium was too low; it wanted to verify certain information. When the inspector arrived, Enterprise informed the inspector that the building did not have an automatic sprinkler system. The 2011 inspection report is clear that there was no sprinkler system, and this report was given to Westfield’s underwriting department. It was placed in Enterprise’s file.

Westfield says that its underwriters did not review the 2011 inspection report. According to Westfield’s policies, the report was logged by a clerical employee and filed away.

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Bluebook (online)
34 F. Supp. 3d 737, 2014 WL 3735213, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102961, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/westfield-insurance-v-enterprise-522-llc-mied-2014.