Perry et al v. Peak Property and Casualty Insurance Corporation et al
Filing
14
ORDER: IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's 4 Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is GRANTED and Plaintiffs' 6 Joint Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings is DENIED. All parties are to bear their own attorney fees and costs. The Clerk's Office should enter the Final Judgment in accordance with this Order. This action is terminated. Signed by Senior Judge David C Bury on 12/5/16.(BAC)
1
WO
2
3
4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5
DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
6
7
8
Kevin Perry, et al.,
9
10
11
Plaintiffs,
v.
Peak Property and Cas. Ins.,
12
Defendant.
13
14
15
16
17
22
23
24
25
26
ORDER
and Plaintiffs’ Cross Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings.
rules.
SUMMARY
In August 2016, a declaratory relief, breach of contract and bad
faith action was originally filed in state court, then removed to federal
court based on diversity.
Defendant immediately filed a Motion for
Judgment on the Pleadings (DMJOP) and Plaintiffs filed a Joint Cross
Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings (XPMJOP).
Ins.
Co.
(Farmers),
Renee
Holguin
Perry
Plaintiffs are:
and
Kevin
Perry
Farmers
(Holguin
Perry)(divorced in May 2014), and Nancy Smith (Smith). Defendant is Peak
Property and Cas. Ins. Corp. (Peak), Holguin Perry’s automobile insurance
27
28
Oral
argument was heard by the Court on November 28, 2016. The Court now
19
21
CV-16-555-TUC-DCB
Before the Court is Defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
18
20
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
1
1
carrier, doing business in Wisconsin. This action is in federal court
2
based on diversity because the car accident occurred in Arizona involving
3
all Arizona citizens with the Defendant being located and incorporated
4
in the state of Wisconsin. Arizona law applies.
5
6
BACKGROUND
This case arises out of a traffic accident that occurred on January
7
22, 2013.
8
Perry Holguin, who ran a red light and hit Smith, who was driving a Ford.
9
The accident collaterally involved three other vehicles. The Lexus driven
It involved two primary vehicles: the Lexus was driven by
10
by Perry Holguin was insured by Peak.
11
vehicles was insured by Farmers. Farmers, Holguin Perry and Smith have
12
jointly filed this action against Peak for failing to compensate the
13
injured resulting in the breach of contract (Count Two) and bad faith
14
allegations (Count Three).
15
At
the
time
of
the
accident,
One of the collaterally involved
Holguin
Perry
had
a
policy
of
16
automobile insurance with Peak that insured them for liability up to
17
$100,000/$300,000 for bodily injury and $10,000 for property damage
18
stemming from an accident. The Policy as initially written was effective
19
November 10, 2012 through May 10, 2013. The Policy was on a monthly
20
payment plan.
21
On December 20, 2012, Peak mailed a document entitled “Installment
22
Notice” showing a minimum payment of $286.37 due on January 9, 2013.
23
Installment Notice states: “Payments received after the cancel date or
24
in an amount less than the minimum amount due may incur an additional
25
fee.” (DMJOP, Ex. 2.)
26
27
28
2
The
1
On or about January 18, 2013, Peak mailed a document entitled
2
“Nonpayment Cancellation Notice” with a print date of January 18, 2013
3
(the Notice). (DMJOP, Ex. 4.) The Notice states: “If a minimum payment
4
of $286.37 is not received by 01/19/2013 your coverage will end on
5
01/19/2013 12:01 a.m. Standard Time.” (Id.). The Notice goes on to state
6
that the insured may reinstate the Policy by paying $286.37 by January
7
19, 2013 at 12:01 a.m. (midnight).
8
be paid by January 9, 2013 and Holguin Perry did not tender a payment to
9
the insurance company until January 23, 2013.
The installment payment was due to
10
The Holguin Perrys allege they did not receive notice of the notice
11
of cancellation until January 23rd. Holguin Perry paid $294.37 over the
12
phone to Peak on January 23, 2013. The Holguin Perrys paid the required
13
$286.37 in the Notice plus a $5.00 late fee.
14
On December 3, 2013, Smith filed her Complaint against the Holguin
15
Perrys in state court. Peak refused to settle the matter or defend the
16
Holguin Perrys because it took the position that there was a lapse in the
17
insurance contract and they were not covered by insurance on the date of
18
the accident, January 22, 2013. As a result, the Perrys entered into a
19
Settlement Agreement and Assignment (Damron Agreement) with Smith and
20
Farmers. Smith, the Holguin Perrys and Farmers filed the action against
21
Peak alleging causes of action for declaratory relief, breach of contract
22
and insurance bad faith.
23
LEGAL STANDARD OF REVIEW
24
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(c) permits a party to move for
25
judgment on the pleadings after the pleadings are closed. Judgment on the
26
pleadings “is properly granted when there is no issue of material fact
27
in dispute, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of
28
3
1
law.” Fleming v. Pickard, 581 F.3d 922, 925 (9th Cir.2009). For a Rule
2
12(c) motion, all material allegations contained in the nonmoving party's
3
pleadings are accepted as true. Hal Roach Studios v. Richard Feiner &
4
Co., Inc., 896 F.2d 1542, 1550 (9th Cir.1989); Chavez v. United States,
5
683 F.3d 1102, 1108 (9th Cir.2012).
6
The district court's review is generally limited to the contents
7
of the complaint. The court may consider documents attached to the
8
complaint, documents incorporated by reference in the complaint, or
9
matters of judicial notice without converting the Rule 12(c) motion into
10
a motion for summary judgment. Lee v. City of Los Angeles, 250 F.3d 668,
11
688 (9th Cir.2001).
12
When a Rule 12(c) motion raises the defense of failure to state a
13
claim, the standard governing the motion is the same as that governing
14
a motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6).
15
McGlinchy v. Shell Chemical Co., 845 F.2d 802, 810 (9th Cir.1988). Rule
16
12(b)(6) allows dismissal where a complaint fails “to state a claim upon
17
which relief can be granted.” Pareto v. F.D.I.C., 139 F.3d 696, 699 (9th
18
Cir.1998). Conclusory allegations of law and unwarranted inferences are
19
insufficient to defeat such a motion. Id. The Court need not accept as
20
true allegations that contradict matters properly subject to judicial
21
notice
22
complaint. Sprewell v. Golden State Warriors, 266 F.3d 979, 988 (9th
23
Cir.2001).
24
or
allegations
contradicting
the
exhibits
attached
to
the
DISCUSSION
25
Peak argues that there are no material questions of fact precluding
26
entry of judgment in its favor on Count One, declaratory relief. Peak
27
28
4
1
goes on to argue that because no insurance policy was in effect at the
2
time of the traffic accident, Plaintiffs' claims for breach of contract
3
(Count Two) and bad faith (Count Three)fail as a matter of law.
4
A.R.S. § 20-1632.01 outlines the basic requirements an insurer must
5
follow when it cancels an automobile insurance policy due to nonpayment
6
of a premium. The statute provides in pertinent part that (a) the
7
policyholder is entitled to a minimum seven day grace period, (b) the
8
insurer must mail a notice of cancellation, and (c) the cancellation is
9
effective on the date the notice is mailed. A.R.S. § 20-1632.01. The
10
Holguin Perry’s policy provisions mirror the Arizona statute. In line
11
with A.R.S. § 20-1632.01(A), the contract on which Plaintiffs base their
12
entire complaint provides that the insured was entitled to a minimum
13
grace period of seven days for the payment of any premium due.
14
The policy further states that in the event of nonpayment, the
15
insurer may cancel by mailing a notice of cancellation at least eight
16
days after the due date, and that the cancellation will be effective the
17
date the notice is mailed. Again, this is right in line with A.R.S. § 20-
18
1632.01(B) (stating that after the seven day grace period, "the insurer
19
must mail a notice of cancellation to the policyholder by first class
20
mail," and that "cancellation... is effective on the date the notice is
21
mailed to the policyholder."). In short, both the Holguin Perry’s policy
22
and Arizona law required Peak to give the insured seven days' graçe
23
period to pay their premium, to mail a notice of cancellation eight or
24
more days after the premium due date, and that cancellation was effective
25
on the date of mailing.
26
The Complaint's factual allegations demonstrate that Peak complied
27
with each of these requirements. Plaintiffs allege that Peak mailed an
28
5
1
Installment Notice to the Holguin Perrys on December 20,2012, twenty days
2
prior to the premium due date, which notified the Perrys that the policy
3
premium of $286.37 had to be paid by January 9,2013. With the premium due
4
on January 9th and the seven-day grace period allowed by A.R.S. § 20-
5
1632.01, the policy ended on January 16,2013. Peak was authorized to mail
6
a notice of cancellation on day one. But it was not until day nine after
7
the
8
Cancellation Notice. This fully complied with A.R.S. § 20-1632.01. By
9
Arizona statute and the policy's provisions, cancellation was effective
10
on January 18th, the date of mailing the Nonpayment Cancellation Notice.
11
The Nonpayment Cancellation Notice clearly stated, "You are now driving
12
without insurance protection."
missed
payment
that
Peak
printed
and
mailed
the
Nonpayment
13
There are no material questions of fact: the Holguin Perry’s policy
14
was on a monthly payment plan; Peak mailed an Installment Notice to the
15
Holguin Perrys advising their payment was due on January 9, 2013; the
16
Holguin Perrys did not pay their policy premium bill by January 9, 2013;
17
A.R.S. § 20-1632.01 required Peak to allow the Holguin Perrys at least
18
seven days after the premium due date to pay before cancelling and this
19
grace period expired on January 16th, before the accident and before the
20
Holguin Perrys paid anything; on January 18, 2013, nine days after the
21
premium due date, Peak mailed the Nonpayment Cancellation Notice to the
22
Holguin Perrys; the Nonpayment Cancellation Notice stated that if payment
23
was not received by January 19, 2013, the Holguin Perry’s policy would
24
be cancelled and coverage would end on January 19th; the Nonpayment
25
Cancellation Notice specifically advised the Holguin Perrys that: “You
26
are hereby notified in accordance with the terms and conditions of the
27
above mentioned policy, and in accordance with state law, that your
28
6
1
insurance will cease at and from the hour and date mentioned above. You
2
are now driving without insurance protection.”; the Holguin Perrys did
3
not pay their premium by January 19 but did tender payment on January 23
4
of the full amount plus a late payment fee; and, the traffic accident
5
occurred on January 22, 2013.
6
on the motions for judgment on the pleadings as a matter of law, because
7
the properly pleaded facts are uncontradicted.
It is appropriate for this Court to rule
8
Plaintiffs’ arguments in their favor boil down to two: 1) either the
9
Nonpayment Cancellation Notice was a “clear and unequivocal” open-ended
10
offer
11
cancellation date, without any lapse in coverage, for an indefinite
12
period of time; or 2) the Nonpayment Cancellation Notice was ambiguous
13
and therefore ineffective to cancel the coverage.
for
the
Holguin
Perrys
to
reinstate
the
policy
after
the
14
The Notice of Nonpayment Cancellation Notice was not an open-ended
15
offer that the Holguin Perrys could accept. It notifies the insureds that
16
(a) the cancellation is effective 12:01 a.m. on January 19th; (b) they
17
are now driving without insurance; (c) they have the right to complain
18
to the Director of Insurance about their cancellation; and (d) they might
19
be able to obtain insurance through another carrier.
20
contract argument is foreclosed by Arizona law, specifically Norman v.
21
State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 201 Ariz. 196, 201 (Ct. App. 2001)
22
(cancellation notice is effective even if it allows for cancellation on
23
a date later than the date on which the notice was mailed). Peak’s
24
Nonpayment Cancellation Notice is an even clearer cancellation than
25
Norman’s, because nowhere does Peak’s Notice contain any option for the
26
Holguin Perrys to pay after the cancellation date and have the policy
27
reinstated. Nor does it contain an “amount due.” The Peak Notice says,
28
7
Further, the
1
“If a minimum payment of $286.37 is not received by 01/19/2013 your
2
coverage will end on 01/19/2013 at 12:01 a.m. Standard Time. You are
3
hereby notified in accordance with the terms and conditions of the above
4
mentioned policy, and in accordance with state law, that your insurance
5
will cease at and from the hour and date mentioned above. You are now
6
driving
7
NONPAYMENT OF PREMIUM.” (DMJOP, Ex. 4.) This language could not be more
8
clear. As the Norman court concluded, this Notice does not even remotely
9
suggest that the Holguin Perrys could pay to reinstate the policy after
10
the 19th of January, the effective cancellation date – and certainly not
11
without any lapse in coverage.
without
insurance
protection.
Reason(s)
for
Cancellation:
12
Plaintiffs other argument is that the Nonpayment Cancellation Notice
13
was ineffective to cancel because it did not strictly comply with A.R.S.
14
§ 20-1632.01(B). Norman rejected this very argument. Norman, 201 Ariz.
15
at 200-201; see also Moore v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 2007 WL
16
2725262, *3 (D. Ariz. 2007). As Norman1 recognized, A.R.S. § 20-1632.01(B)
17
permits an insurance company to cancel a policy for nonpayment of premium
18
effective either: (1) upon mailing of a notice of cancellation, or (2)
19
upon a later date provided in the notice. The fact that the notice
20
provides a later date does not render the notice ineffective or invalid.
21
It simply makes the cancellation effective on that later date stated in
22
the Notice rather than the date on which the Notice was placed in the
23
mail. In either case, the insured’s receipt or knowledge of the notice
24
is irrelevant. Cancellation is never hinged on the insured’s receipt of
25
1
27
Norman rejected Elkins v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance
Co.,197 W. Va. 412,475 S.E.2d 504 (W. Va. 1996) (language of the Notice
indicating that an offer is being made).
28
8
26
1
the notice, or knowledge of the cancellation date, or knowledge of the
2
mailing date. Norman, 201 Ariz. at 200-01. The policy cancels either on
3
the date of mailing, or on the date set forth in the Notice. Here it was
4
on January 19th, the date set forth in the Notice. Nothing in the Notice
5
rendered it ineffective. ”Knowledge" about the extra 24-hour period is
6
wholly
7
cancellation on a date certain (the date the Notice is mailed), not on
8
the insured's "prior knowledge" of the extra grace period. Norman,20l
9
Ariz. at 200-201; see also Moore v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co.,2007
10
WL 2725262, *3 (D. Ariz. 2007) ("the statute is only concerned with
11
whether the notice of cancellation was properly mailed to the insured.
12
The statute is not concerned with whether the insured received actual
13
notice of the cancellation”).
irrelevant,
because
both
Arizona
law
and
the
policy
hinge
14
Plaintiffs similarly err in making the legal assertion that the
15
Nonpayment Cancellation Notice was an "offer of coverage." To be clear,
16
the
17
Installment Notice (that their premium was due January 9th), which
18
actually states "This is the only Installment Offer you will receive. We
19
do Not send reminder Installment offers." (DMJOP, Ex. 2.) The Nonpayment
20
Cancellation Notice simply alerted the Holguin Perrys that their failure
21
to pay the premium was resulting in the cancellation of their policy. As
22
Norman held, graciously giving the insured one more 24-hour period to
23
tender the past-due payment did not supercede the fact that the Holguin
24
Perrys missed the "premium due date" by 10 days.
25
offer
to
continue
coverage
was
made
via
the
December
20,2012
Plaintiffs argue that the policy is ambiguous because Form PAP1
26
(3/08)
(which
would
have
required
the
company
to
mail
notice
of
27
cancellation at least ten days prior to the cancellation effective date)
28
9
1
“conflicts” with the Arizona Endorsement (Form PPA-AZ 11/11).
2
Arizona Endorsement clearly states that it “replace[s Form PAP1] in its
3
entirety.”
4
requirements for Peak to cancel the Policy,” as Plaintiffs argue. A.R.S.
5
§ 20-1119, which sets forth rules for construing insurance policies,
6
states that every insurance policy: shall be construed according to the
7
entirety of is terms and conditions as set forth in the policy and as
8
amplified, extended or modified by any rider, endorsement or application
9
attached to and made part of the policy. 2 Title Ins. Law §18:19 (2016
10
The
The Arizona Endorsement does not “create two different
ed.).
11
Plaintiffs next err in suggesting that the Lienholder/Additional
12
Insured Termination Notice sent to the lienholder (but not to the Holguin
13
Perrys) makes the Cancellation Notice ambiguous. Obviously, when an
14
insured fails to pay his policy premiums, the policy is cancelled. But
15
it is only fair to grant the lienholder some additional time to obtain
16
separate
17
lienholder has no control over the insured’s payment of premiums. For
18
this reason, a policy’s loss payee endorsement essentially creates two
19
separate
20
lienholder and the other with the insured.
insurance
contracts
to
of
protect
insurance
its
financial
within
the
interest,
policy
–
one
since
with
the
the
21
Plaintiffs argue that they should have coverage because: (1) the
22
Holguin Perrys expected Peak to comply with the terms of the policy; (2)
23
the Holguin Perrys did not expect Peak to make an offer that was
24
impossible to accept; and (3) the Holguin Perrys expected their policy
25
to be reinstated after the cancellation date with no repercussion or
26
lapse in coverage. These are not “reasonable expectations” arguments;
27
instead, they are nothing more than “fervent hopes that coverage exists.”
28
10
1
Darner Motor Sales, Inc. v. Universal Underwriters Ins. Co., 140 Ariz.
2
383, 390 (1984).
3
and it does not operate to create coverage here.
4
The reasonable expectations doctrine does not apply,
In a diversity action, a federal district court must apply the
5
substantive law of the forum state.
6
America, 627 F.2d 207, 209 (9th Cir. 1980). Plaintiffs urge this Court to
7
treat this as an offer/acceptance contract scenario. On the contrary,
8
basic contract principles do not apply in light of well-established
9
Arizona cases interpreting and applying the applicable state statutes
10
that govern the resolution in this action. The Restatement (Second) of
11
Contracts and Perry v. Ronan, 225 Ariz. 49, 53 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2010) are
12
likewise inapplicable.
Kabatoff v. Safeco Inc. Co. of
13
Because the Court is granting the Defendants’ Motion for Judgment
14
on the Pleadings as to Count One, declaratory relief, there was no
15
contract of insurance in place at the time of the accident and therefore
16
the remaining Counts Two and Three of Plaintiffs’ complaint fail as a
17
matter of law. There can be no breach of a contract where no contract
18
exists. Norman, 201 Ariz. at 203 (upholding summary judgment on the
19
breach of contract claim where no contract exists). Likewise, where no
20
contract exists, there can be no claim for bad faith. Id. at 198 (“we
21
reiterate the well-settled principle that a contract must exist before
22
there can be a breach of the covenants of good faith and fair dealing
23
implied in every contract”); see also Manterola v. Farmers Ins. Exchange,
24
200 Ariz. 572, 579 (Ct. App. 2001) (“a bad faith claim based solely on
25
a carrier’s denial of coverage will fail on the merits if a final
26
determination of noncoverage ultimately is made).
27
28
11
1
2
CONCLUSION
In short, the uncontradicted allegations of Plaintiffs' Complaint
3
establish
4
Nonpayment Cancellation Notice met the requirements of both Arizona law
5
and the policy terms. There was nothing ambiguous or illusory about it.
6
See Hadley v. Southwest Properties, Inc., 116 Ariz.503, 506 (1977) (the
7
interpretation of an insurance policy, like any written instrument, is
8
a question of law to be determined by the Court).
that
the
policy
was
cancelled
on
January
19th.
Peak's
9
Defendant’s MJOP on Count I will be granted as a matter of law. As
10
to Counts Two and Three, to prevail on a breach of contract claim, a
11
plaintiff has the burden "of proving the existence of the contract, its
12
breach and the resulting damages." Graham v. Asbury, l12 Ariz. 184, 185
13
(1975). Because the Holguin Perry’s insurance policy with Peak was
14
properly and legally lapsed on January 19th, there was no contract
15
between the parties on January 22nd, the date of the accident/loss.
16
Because no contract existed, Plaintiffs' claims for breach of contract
17
and bad faith fail as a matter of law. See Norman, 201 Ariz. at 198.
18
Accordingly,
19
IT IS ORDERED that Defendant’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
20
(Doc. 4) is GRANTED and Plaintiffs’ Joint Motion for Judgment on the
21
Pleadings (Doc. 6) is DENIED. All parties are to bear their own attorney
22
fees and costs. The Clerk’s Office should enter the Final Judgment in
23
accordance with this Order. This action is terminated.
24
DATED this 5th day of December, 2016.
25
26
27
28
12
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?