In this insurance coverage dispute, Appellant National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (“National Union”) appeals from the Superior Court’s April 16, 2003 order, which reversed the trial court’s order granting National Union’s motion for summary judgment and remanded the case for additional proceedings to determine whether National Union was responsible for defending and indemnifying Appellee Kvaerner Metals Division of U.S., Inc., and other related companies (collectively, “Kvaerner”) in an action brought by Bethlehem Steel Corporation (“Bethlehem”). Because we find that National Union has no duty under its policies to defend or indemnify
In June 1997, Bethlehem brought an action against Kvaerner asserting claims of breach of contract and breach of warranty. In its complaint, Bethlehem alleged that it entered into a contract with Kvaerner (the “Contract”) pursuant to which Kvaerner agreed to design and construct a coke oven battery (the “Battery”) for Bethlehem. According to Bethle hem, under the contract Kvaerner (1) agreed to build the Battery according to certain “plans and specifications that were made a part of the [Contract],” (2) warranted that its materials, equipment, and work would be free from defect, and (3) agreed to repair or replace any defective work or materials.
Bethlehem then contended that based on these facts, Kvaerner breached the above Contract terms because the Battery built by Kvaerner was “damaged” and “did not meet the contract specifications and warranties, or the applicable industry standards for construction ...” Bethlehem further alleged that although it sent Kvaerner a “non-performance list” detailing the Battery’s “damages and breaches,” Kvaerner had failed to remedy the Battery’s problems. Moreover, Bethlehem incorporated by reference the “damages and breaches” listed in the non-performanсe list, which enumerated numerous problems with the Battery, including the following:
(1) “100% of the ovens have cracked paver bricks”; (2) “[s]hifting brickwork has caused maximum deviation of centerlines of flue inspection ports”; (3) “[t]he larry car rails are introducing eccentric loads on the oven walls”; (4) “[d]ue to displacement of oven top brick and appurtenances (e.g. larry car rail chairs) the chairs are not directly above the centerline of the heating walls”; (5) “[t]he non-uniform shifting of brickwork in the oven roof resulted in a tilted configuration of the flue inspection ports”; (6) “[s]heared/open joints are present in the horizontal plane of roof brick and there are оpen joints in the vertical plane of roof brick,” causing the migration of gas; (7) “[s]ections of seven lintel blocks [have subsided] and the outer blocks of two ovens are completely broken or shattered”; (8) the centerlines of the Battery’s ovens are displaced, causing multiple door jams; (9) there are sheared/open joints between the silica and fireclay in the Battery; (10) the oven walls are not plumb and are distorted, causing them to experience compressive stress orders of a magnitude greater than design; (11) the oven walls are spalling; (12) certain braces deviate from the Contract design specifications; (13) the spring adjustments are inadequаte; (14) the tie rod housings are bowed; (15) the buckstays do not comply with the erection tolerances; and (16) water is penetrating the coke side bench.
Bethlehem’s Non-Performance List, attached to May 15, 1997 Letter of Final Notification of Contract Non-Performance (“Non-Performance List”), Exh. 3 to Kvaerner’s Motion for Reconsideration, at 1-14 (incorporated by reference in Bethlehem Complaint, Exh. A to Kvaerner Complaint, at 8-9). As a result of these damages to the Battery, Bethlehem asserted that Kvaerner was liable to it for either “the amount that it will cost to replace the Coke Oven Battery, or the difference in value between the defectivе Coke Oven Battery that it received and the Coke Oven Battery that [Kvaerner] warranted that it would deliver.” Id. at 10.
After being served with Bethlehem’s complaint, Kvaerner notified its insurer, National Union, of the suit, seeking defense and indemnity pursuant to two
Due to National Union’s refusal to provide coverage, Kvaerner commenced the instant action in the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County against National Union, seeking, inter alia, a declaratory judgment that National Union has a duty to defend and indemnify it pursuant to the Policies. National Union responded by filing an answer and a new matter, raising numerous affirmative defenses. 2 The parties engaged in discovery and in Sеptember 2000 National Union filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing that judgment must be entered in its favor because (1) the Policies only permitted coverage for allegations of “property damage” caused by an “occurrence,” which was defined by the Policies as an accident, and Bethlehem had not alleged that the Battery was damaged by such an occurrence, and (2) even if Bethlehem alleged property damage caused by an occurrence, such damages were excluded under various “business risk/ work product” exclusions in the Policies.
Kvaerner filed a brief in opposition to National Union’s motion for summary judgment as well as a cross-motion for summary judgment, asserting that National Union was responsible for defending and indemnifying it under the Policies because the Battery’s damages were caused by an occurrence, which it deemed to be an unintended and unexpected event. According to Kvaerner, the Battery was damaged because of “longitudinal movement of the roof,” which was caused be
cause the bricks in the Battery’s roof were “grouted”
Kvaerner further asserted that the Policies included “Completed Operations Coverage,” which, according to Kvaerner, meant that National Union would provide coverage for damages to Kvaerner’s completed work product in certain circumstances, such as where the damages were the result of improper work performed by its subcontractor, Thyssen Still Otto Anlagentecnick (“Thyssen”). According to Kvaerner, it was entitled to coverage under the above provisions because the damages to the Battery occurred after it was completed by Kvaerner and were the result of Thyssen’s decision to permit Kvaerner to grout the bricks on the Battery’s roof earlier than scheduled. Finally, Kvaerner claimed that National Union was not entitled to summary judgment based on the exclusions relied upon by National Union because they were inapplicable.
On February 9, 2001, the trial court entered an opinion and order granting National Union’s motion for summary judg
ment and denying Kvaerner’s cross-motion.
3
The trial court initially reviewed the Policies and agrеed with National Union that it was only required to provide coverage for property damage caused by an occurrence or accident. The trial court then found, relying largely on the Superior Court’s
en banc
decision in
Redevelopment Auth. of Cambria County v. International Ins. Co.,
After finding that Bethlehem was solely seeking damages for Kvaerner’s breach of the Contract, rather than damages caused by an accident, the trial court concluded that Bethlehem’s Complaint did not trigger coverage under the Policies. See Kvaerner Metals Division of Kvaerner U.S., Inc., et al. v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., et al., Pa. C. Northampton, No. 1998-C-9531, at 11 (Feb. 9, 2001) (“The design specifications are duties imposed on Insured, not by public policy, but by the Contract; therefore, [Bethlehem’s] allegations lie in breach of contract.”). In spite of this conclusion, the trial court went on to consider Kvaerner’s claim that it was entitled tо coverage under the “Completed Operations Coverage” provisions in the Policies. While the trial court agreed with Kvaerner that these provisions provided coverage for property damage to an insured’s completed work product when such damage was caused by the insured’s subcontractor, it found that these provisions did not “obviate the [Policies’] requirement ... that the property damage [be caused by an accident].” Id. at 14. Thus, as it had already found that Bethlehem was not seeking accidental damages, the trial court concluded that National Union did not have to defend or indemnify Kvaerner pursuant to the “Completed Operatiоns Coverage” provisions. 5
Kvaerner appealed to the Superior Court, which entered an opinion and order on April 16, 2003, reversing the trial court’s order and remanding the case back to that court for further proceedings.
See Kvaerner Metals Division of Kvaerner U.S., Inc., et al. v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., et al.,
National Union subsequently filed a petition for allowance of appeal with this Court and we granted allocatur to consider whether the Superior Court erred by, inter alia, (1) looking beyond Bethlehem’s Complaint to find that National Union may have a duty to defend Kvaerner, (2) finding that the Battery may have been damaged by an “occurrence,” and (3) finding that the “business risk/work product” exclusions did not exclude coverage for Bethlehem’s claims. 6 We now conclude that the Superior Court did in fact err in looking beyond the allegations raised in Bethlehem’s complaint to determine whether National Union had a duty to defend Kvaerner and in finding that the Battery’s damages may have been the result of an “occurrence.”
In analyzing the order of the trial court that granted summary judgment to National Union, our scope of review is plenary.
Mountain Village v. Board of Supervisors,
It is well established that an insurer’s duties under an insurance policy are triggered by the language of the
complaint against the insured.
7
In
Mutual Benefit Insurance Co. v. Haver,
A carrier’s duty to defend and indemnify an insured in a suit brought by a third party depends upon a determination of whether the third party’s complaint triggers coverage.
Id., citing General Accident Insurance Co. v. Allen,
[T]he rule everywhere is that the obligation of a casualty insurance company to defend an action brought against the insured is to be determined solely by the allegations of the complaint in the action ...
Id. (Emphasis supplied).
In this case, the Superior Court looked to information not contained in the underlying complaint in its determination that coverage might exist under the National Union policies. It claimed that it could do so because the Policies do not require that a Complaint be filed in order to trigger coverage. The Superior Court premised its coverage determination on reрorts submitted by two experts on behalf of Kvaerner stating that torrential rains may have caused the damages complained of by Bethlehem. The court held that these reports create uncertainty as to the cause of the damage and perhaps set forth an “occurrence” as required by the policies to trigger coverage, thus making summary judgment improper.
The Superior Court erred in looking beyond the allegations raised in Bethlehem’s Complaint to determine whether National Union had a duty to defend Kvaerner and in finding that the Battery’s damages may have been the result of an “occurrence.” In doing so, it departed from the well-established preсedent of this Court requiring that an insurer’s duty to defend and indemnify be determined solely from the language of the complaint against the insured.
Haver,
Thus, we hold that the Superior Court’s approach in looking beyond the Bethlehem complaint was in error. Instead, we will look to the language of the policies themselves
The interpretation of an insurance policy is a question of law that we will review
de novo. See 401 Fourth Street v. Investors Insurance Co.,
The pertinent portions of the National Union CGL policies under which Kvaerner claims coverage state;
COVERAGE A. BODILY INJURY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE LIABILITY
1. Insuring Agreement
a. We will pay those sums that the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of “bodily injury” or “property damage” to which this insurance applies. We will have the right and duty to defend any “suit” seeking those damages....
b. This insurance applies to “bodily injury” or “property damage” only if:
(1) The “bodily injury” or “property damage” is caused by an “occurrence” that takes place in the “coverage territory;”
1996 Policy, National Union’s Bf., at E2; 1997 Policy, id. at F2 (emphasis added). The Policies defined “proрerty damage” as “[pjhysical injury to tangible property, including all resulting loss of use of that property.” 1996 Policy, id. at E9-E10; 1997 Policy, id. at F9. An “occurrence” was defined as “an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same or general harmful conditions.” 1996 Policy, id. at E9; 1997 Policy, id. at F8. The Policies also defined' a “suit” as “a civil proceeding in which damages because of ‘bodily injury’, ‘property damage,’ ‘personal injury,’ or ‘advertising injury 5 to which this insurance applies are alleged.” 1996 Policy, id. at E10; 1997 Policy, id. at F9 (emphasis added).
Thus, National Union contracted to defend Kvaerner only when a “suit” or “proceeding” was brought against Kvaerner seeking or alleging damages for inter alia, property damage which is a result of an “occurrence.” An “occurrence,” in turn, is аn accident. It is necessary, then, to examine whether the damage that is the impetus of this suit was caused by an accident, so as to constitute an occurrence under the policy. We must, then, examine what constitutes an accident under the policy.
The National Union CGL policies do not provide a definition for “accident.” Words of common usage in an
insurance policy are construed according to their natural, plain, and ordinary sense.
Madison Construction Co. v. Harleysmile Mutual Insurance Co.,
Other courts have reached similar conclusions in the construction of the word ‘accident’ for purposes of insurance coverage. In
Snyder Heating v. Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association Insurance Co.,
In
McAllister v. Peerless Ins. Co.,
The recent decision of the Supreme Court of South Carolina,
L-J, Inc. v. Bituminous Fire and Marine Ins. Co.,
On appeal, the Supreme Court of South Carolina reversed. It held that the deterioration of the road could not constitute an “occurrence” under the terms of the policy. The Court explained that all of the allegations raised in the complaint against L-J Inc., including the negligence claims, were based on faulty workmanship.
L-J, Inc.,
The Court stated that a CGL policy may provide coverage where faulty workmanship
We hold that the definition of “accident” required to establish an “occurrence” under the policies cannot be satisfied by claims based upon faulty workmanship. 10 Such claims simply do not present the degree of fortuity contemplated by the ordinary definition of “accident” or its common judicial construction in this context. To hold otherwise would be to convert a policy for insurance into a performance bond. We are unwilling to do so, especially since such protections are already readily available for the protection of contractors. 11
Notes
. "An ‘occurrence’ policy protects the policyholder from liability for any act done while the policy is in effect, whereas a ‘claims made’ policy protects the holder only against claims made during the life of the policy."
See Consulting Engineers Inc., v. Ins. Co. of North America,
. National Union claimed that it did not have a duty to defend or indemnify Kvaerner under the Policies for numerous reasons, including the following: (1) Bethlehem’s claims against Kvaerner did not involve "property damage” arising from an "occurrence” as, required by the Pоlicies; (2) the Battery's damages did not take place during the effective time periods of the Policies; (3) the Battery’s damages were a loss in progress or known loss when the Policies were issued; (4) the Battery’s damages were excluded under different "business risk/work product” exclusions in the Policies; and (5) the Battery’s damages were based on the rendering of or failure to render professional services and the Policies excluded coverage for such harm. See Answer of National Union with New Matter and New Matter Under Pa.R.C.P. 2252.
. Shortly after the trial court entered its decision, the Bethlehem lawsuit was settled and consequently, discontinued with prejudice.
. The Superior Court in
Redevelopment Auth.
concluded that a CGL insurer was nоt responsible for defending the Redevelopment Authority of Cambria County for a breach of contract action filed against it by Barr Township because the CGL policy did not cover such actions.
Erie correctly asserts that it has no duty to defend or indemnify the Authority since the underlying suit arises out of a breach of contract which is not an accident or occurrence contemplated or covered by the provisions of the general liability insurance policy.
Id. at 589.
. As the trial court concluded that National Union was entitled to summary judgment because Bethlehem had not alleged that the Battery’s damages were the result of an accident, it did not consider whеther coverage was precluded based on the Policies’ exclusions also relied on by National Union in its summary judgment motion.
. In our order granting allocatur, we also directed the parties to "address the appropriate test or inquiry in ascertaining whether an underlying claim sounds in contract or tort for purposes of insurance coverage.”
Kvaerner Metals Div. of Kvaerner U.S., Inc., et al. v. Commercial Union Ins. Co., et al.,
. Kvaerner claims that National Union owed it a duty to defend as well as a duty to indemnify. As this Court has explained, a duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify.
General Accident Insurance Co. v. Allen,
. The school’s complaint specified the following allegеd causes for its damages; (1) Failure to seal and close the boilers; (2) failure to properly test and inspect the boilers; (3) failure to timely inspect the boilers and report noted deficiencies; (4) failure to install new hardware as needed in the boilers; (5) failure to start the boilers in accordance with specifications; (6) failure to properly clean the boilers; (7) failure to properly secure the boiler doors; (8) failure to otherwise perform its obligations.
Snyder,
. While the majority of Courts have held that coverage under a CGL policy is not triggered by poor workmanship which causes injury to the work product itself, a minority of jurisdictions have held that faulty or negligent workmanship constitutes an accident so long as the insured did not intend for the damage to occur.
American Family Mutual Insurance Co. v. American Girl, Inc., 268
Wis.2d 16,
. The application and limitations of CGL policies were aptly explained in a seminal law review article by Roger C. Henderson;
The risk intended tо be insured is the possibility that the goods, products or work of the insured, once relinquished and completed, will cause bodily injury or damage to property other than to the completed work itself and for which the insured by be found liable. The insured, as a source of goods or services, may be liable as a matter of contract law to make good on products or work which is defective or otherwise unsuitable because it is lacking in some capacity. This may even extend to an obligation to completely replace or rebuild the deficient work or product. This liability, however, is not what the coverages in question are designed to protect agаinst. The coverage is for tort liability for physical damages to others and not for contractual liability of the insured for economic loss because the product or completed work is not that for which the damaged person bargained.
Insurance Protection for Products Liability and Completed Operations; What Every Lawyer Should Know, 50 Neb. L.Rev. 415, 441 (1971).
. In this case Kvaerner was covered by a Builder’s Risk Policy, providing coverage for property constructed by Kvaerner under the Contract, and a Professional Liability Policy, covering alleged negligent acts, errors, or omissions by Kvaerner or its subcontractors. Kvaerner has recovered monies under both policies.
