Renter v. Anthony, Unpublished Decision (2-5-2004)
Renter v. Anthony, Unpublished Decision (2-5-2004)
Opinion of the Court
{¶ 2} This court previously announced its decision on October 30, 2003, affirming the common pleas court's decision in part and reversing it in part. We determined that there was a genuine issue of material fact whether National City Corporation, the named insured, had validly rejected uninsured/underinsured motorist ("UM/UIM") coverage under the business auto policy before the occurrence at issue. Further, we found that UM/UIM coverage was afforded by operation of law under the integrated risk policy, and that the plaintiff employee was an insured under that policy although the decedent was not. Finally, we found that the general liability policy was not an automobile liability policy as to which the insurer was required to offer UM/UIM coverage. Therefore, that policy did not afford UM/UIM coverage by operation of law.
{¶ 3} Just six days after our decision was announced, the Ohio Supreme Court decided Westfield Ins. Co. v. Galatis,
{¶ 5} Anthony's vehicle was insured by Progressive Auto Insurance, with liability limits of $12,500 per person and $25,000 per accident. The vehicle the decedent was driving was owned by the decedent's employer and was insured by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company with UM/UIM coverage of $250,000. Plaintiff also had a personal automobile liability policy issued by Guide-One Elite Insurance Company which had UM/UIM coverage limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident.
{¶ 6} Plaintiff, the decedent's wife, was employed by National City Corporation at the time of the accident. National City carried several insurance policies with Federal, including a business auto policy, an integrated risk policy, and a general liability policy.
{¶ 7} Plaintiff originally filed this action against the tortfeasor on July 24, 2000. She subsequently amended the complaint to name Federal, Guide-One, Nationwide and several other insurers as defendants. With respect to Federal, plaintiff sought a declaratory judgment that Federal provided UIM coverage and/or medical payments coverage under the policies it issued to National City. Both plaintiff and Federal moved for summary judgment as to the coverage afforded by each policy. On October 15, 2002, the common pleas court granted in part and denied in part each party's motion.
{¶ 8} In its 24-page journal entry and opinion, the common pleas court first determined that National City was not self-insured as a practical matter, precluding Federal's argument that it had no obligation to offer UM/UIM coverage. Furthermore, the court found the business auto policy which Federal issued to National City afforded UM/UIM coverage by operation of law to both plaintiff and her decedent because the rejection form for such coverage was inadequate. The court held that this policy also provided medical payments coverage to both plaintiff and her decedent.
{¶ 9} The common pleas court determined that the integrated risk policy broadened the coverage afforded under the business auto policy and therefore was itself an automobile liability policy as to which the insurer was required to offer UM/UIM coverage. Because the insurer failed to offer such coverage, the court found the coverage was provided as a matter of law. However, the court found that this coverage only extended to plaintiff individually, as an employee of National City, and not to the decedent as a family member.
{¶ 10} Finally, the common pleas court found that the general liability insurance policy issued by Federal to National City was not an automobile liability insurance policy and therefore Federal was not required to offer UM/UIM coverage under that policy. The court expressly determined there was no just cause for delay, and thus entered final judgment as to plaintiff's claims against Federal.
{¶ 14} The policy defines "third party liability" as "any liability of the Insured arising out of a Claim the Insured is obligated to pay by reason of liability imposed upon theInsured by law or in equity * * *, including" personal injury, physical injury, and "the use, possession, repossession or ownership of an Automobile * * *."
{¶ 15} The integrated risks policy further provides:
"Fronted Insurance Policies are policies written for the Named Insured by the Company as shown on Schedule C. This policy will drop down and provide broader coverages as provided under this policy over the fronted policies and the fronted policies will be subject to the Limit of Liability of this policy. The Maintenance Amount and Retention will apply to any Loss paid by the fronted policies regardless of any deductible or retention, if any, shown on the fronted policies."
{¶ 16} The business auto policy is listed on Schedule C.
{¶ 18} Federal's first assignment of error challenges the common pleas court's grant of summary judgment for plaintiff on the business auto policy; the second challenges the court's grant of summary judgment on the integrated risks policy. Plaintiff's cross appeal challenges the court's determination that the decedent was not insured under the integrated risks policy, and that the general liability policy was not an automobile liability policy as to which Federal was required to provide UM/UIM coverage. We address each of these arguments separately below.
{¶ 20} In Galatis, the Supreme Court held that where an insurance policy provides UM/UIM coverage for "you," "you" is defined as the named insured, and the named insured is a corporation, corporate employees are also "insureds," but only if the loss occurs while the employee is acting within the course and scope of his or her employment. Galatis,
{¶ 21} The court in Galatis also held that a policy's designation of family members of a named insured as additional insureds under a UM/UIM endorsement does not extend coverage to an employee's family members unless the employee is a named insured. Galatis, at ¶ 62. Sheri Renter was not a named insured under the business auto policy, so the decedent was not an additional insured. Therefore, neither Renter nor the decedent was entitled to UM/UIM coverage under the business auto policy.
{¶ 23} Accordingly, we must reverse the common pleas court's determination that plaintiff was entitled to coverage under the UM/UIM and medical payments endorsements to the business auto policy, and remand with instructions to enter judgment for Federal on those claims.
{¶ 25} The integrated risks policy defines insureds to include employees of National City and its subsidiaries "in respects their employment." Thus, this policy makes explicit what the Galatis court found to be implicit, that employees are afforded coverage under their employers' policy only while they are acting within the scope of their employment. The injury to the decedent did not occur in the scope of Sheri Renter's employment. Therefore, she cannot be considered an insured under the policy with respect to this loss. The policy definition of insured persons does not include family members of employees, so the decedent also was not insured for this loss under the integrated risks policy. Therefore, we affirm the common pleas court's determination that the decedent was not an insured, reverse its decision that the employee was an insured entitled to UM/UIM coverage under this policy and remand for the entry of judgment for Federal on this claim.
{¶ 27} We agree with the common pleas court that the coverage afforded by this exception to the exclusion from coverage does not meet the statutory definition of "automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policy of insurance" under R.C.
{¶ 28} The coverage afforded by the exception to the exclusion does not apply to such liability, so this policy could not serve as proof of financial responsibility. Therefore, it is not an automobile liability or motor vehicle liability insurance policy as to which UM/UIM coverage had to be offered.
{¶ 30} This cause is affirmed in part and reversed in part and remanded for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion.
Frank D. Celebrezze, JR., P.J., concurs.
Sean C. Gallagher, J., dissents.
James D. Sweeney, J., Retired, of the eighth district court of Appeals sitting by Assignment.
It is, therefore, considered that said appellants recover of said appellees their costs herein.
It is ordered that a special mandate be sent to the common pleas court to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.