Maraan v. Ball, Unpublished Decision (3-22-2004)
Maraan v. Ball, Unpublished Decision (3-22-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} The following facts are undisputed: On August 15, 2000, Vanover was fatally injured in an automobile collision while riding as a passenger in a vehicle driven by Steven Ball. The collision was the result of Ball's negligence. Ball was insured by Allstate which tendered its policy limit of $12,500.
{¶ 3} At the time of the collision, Vanover was employed by CCI Supply, Inc. Vanover was not occupying a vehicle owned by CCI Supply, nor was he in the course and scope of his employment when the collision occurred. Appellee issued an insurance binder to CCI Supply effective July 31, 2000. The binder was replaced by an insurance policy issued December 11, 2000. The binder provided automobile liability coverage and underinsured motorist coverage. The policy did not name Vanover as an insured.
{¶ 4} Appellant brought suit seeking a declaration that Vanover was an insured under the business insurance policy, pursuant to Scott-Pontzer v. Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co.,
{¶ 5} "The trial court erred when it held that the plaintiff is not entitled to underinsured motorist coverage under the insurance binder issued by CIC."
{¶ 6} An appellate court conducts a de novo review of a trial court's decision to grant summary judgment. Grafton v. OhioEdison Co.,
{¶ 7} Summary judgment is properly granted when: (1) there is no genuine issue as to any material fact; (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; and (3) reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion, and that conclusion is adverse to the party against whom the motion for summary judgment is made.Harless v. Willis Day Warehousing Co. (1976),
{¶ 8} We first consider whether Vanover is an insured under the insurance policy as appellant contends. The insurance contract at issue in the present case does not name individual employees as "named insureds," leading to the same ambiguity found in the policy at issue in Scott-Pontzer. The Ohio Supreme Court concluded in Scott-Pontzer that such an ambiguity must be interpreted as extending coverage to all of the corporation's employees. Scott-Pontzer,
{¶ 9} However, the Supreme Court of Ohio has subsequently limited the holding of Scott-Ponzter. As relevant to the present case, the court stated:
{¶ 10} "Absent specific language to the contrary, a policy of insurance that names a corporation as an insured for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage covers a loss sustained by an employee of the corporation only if the loss occurs within thecourse and scope of employment." Westfield Ins. Co. v.Galatis,
{¶ 11} We further note that this same limitation is contained in the insurance contract itself.
{¶ 12} As it is undisputed that Vanover was not acting within the course and scope of his employment when he was injured, there can be no dispute that he is not an insured under the insurance policy. Appellee is consequently entitled to judgment in its favor as a matter of law. The assignment of error is overruled.
{¶ 13} Judgment affirmed.
Young, P.J., and Valen, J., concur.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.