Reverses SJ in favor of insurance co. on policy coverage dispute

Friday, February 27, 2009 by Bose McKinney Evans

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Indiana Insurance Co. ("Indiana") filed the underlying declaratory judgment action requesting that the trial court determine whether the insurance policy it sold to T.R. Bulger, Inc. ("Bulger") covers losses sustained by a homeowner as a result of Bulger's faulty installation of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC") system. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Indiana and Bulger appealed. For our review, Bulger raises three issues, which we consolidate and restate as: whether the trial court erred when it granted summary judgment in favor of Indiana.

Conclusion (slip op. at 11-12):  There is no genuine issue of material fact that Cipares acted as Bulger's agent until Bulger signed the insurance policy. Therefore, the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment in favor of Indiana on this issue. However, there are genuine issues of material fact regarding whether Bulger's faulty workmanship caused property damage to the rest of the Mussmans' house, whether such damage comprised a portion of the arbitration award, and whether such damages are covered by the products-completed operations hazard policy. Therefore, the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Indiana on this issue. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings in light of this opinion.

 

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