Lead Opinion
Willbros RPI, Inc. (“Willbros”) appeals on various grounds from the district court’s grant of summary judgment in its declaratory judgment action against Continental Casualty Company (“CNA”). CNA cross-appeals. These appeals ask us to resolve three questions related to insurance obligations resulting from a botched pipeline drilling project: (1) whether CNA’s professional services exclusion applied; (2) whether CNA’s coverage was excess and (3) whether Willbros’s indemnity claim was non-justiciable. We agree with the district court’s resolution of all but the second issue.
I
Shell Pipeline Company, L.P. (“Shell”) hired Willbros, as general contractor, to construct seventy-five miles of pipeline (the “Bengal project”). Willbros hired Harding Road Boring, Inc. (“Harding”), as subcontractor, to perform directional drilling. Harding, in turn, subcontracted various aspects of the job. During the drilling process, one or more pipelines owned by ExxonMobil Pipeline Company (“EMPCo”) were damaged. Subsequently, EMPCo and Exxon Mobile Corporation (collectively “Exxon”) commenced suit against Shell, Willbros, Harding, and others (the “underlying suit”), alleging that the defendants were negligent in their duties to “analyze, review, supervise, construct, operate, and monitor the work so that EMPCo’s pipelines would not be damaged.”
Shell tendered its defense and indemnity to Willbros, who accepted the same. Will-bros, in turn, tendered its defense and indemnity, as well as that of Shell, to Harding and Harding’s insurer, CNA. CNA previously issued Harding a package policy (the “CNA Policy”). The CNA Policy contains a “blanket” endorsement which extends additional insured coverage, genetically, to any person or organization with whom Harding had agreed to add as an additional insured. The district court determined that Willbros qualifies as one such insured by virtue of a written agreement entered into by Harding and Will-bros’s predecessor, Rogers & Phillips, Inc. (“RPI”).
CNA, however, refused to assume Will-bros and Shell’s defense and denied Will-bros’s indemnity demands, contending that it is unclear: (1) whether Willbros, in fact, qualifies as an additional insured under the CNA Policy; (2) whether various provisions exclude coverage; and (3) whether coverage is excess, primary, or co-primary. Nevertheless, it offered to pay fifty percent of Willbros’s defense fees and costs under a reservation of rights, but offered nothing to Shell.
Meanwhile, Willbros filed notice of the underlying suit with its own insurer, Lexington, which previously issued Willbros a commercial general liability policy (the “Lexington Policy”). Lexington accepted the tender and began paying defense costs.
Willbros subsequently filed the declaratory judgment suit that forms the basis of this appeal against CNA, seeking a declaration that: (1) Willbros is entitled to 100 percent defense and indemnity under the
On cross-motions for summary judgment, the district court rejected CNA’s contention that the professional services exclusion provided a basis to deny coverage, finding that the underlying suit alleged non-professional negligence as a basis for liability. The district court also found that CNA had a duty to defend Willbros, but that the duty did not begin until the exhaustion of the Lexington Policy. This result flowed from the district court’s determination that the Lexington Policy was primary and that the CNA Policy was excess. Finally, the district court found that the duty to defend and the duty to indemnify are separate and distinct obligations and that the latter does not arise until the insured has been adjudicated, whether by judgment or settlement, to be legally responsible for damages covered by the policy. • Because the underlying suit was ongoing at the time of its decision, the district court determined that Willbros’s indemnity claims were non-justiciable. This appeal followed.
II
We review a district court’s grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same standards as the district court. Mongrue v. Monsanto Co.,
A
CNA contends that the professional services exclusion in its policy bars coverage of Willbros’s defense in the underlying lawsuit. According to CNA, the exclusion applies because the property, damage in question arose out of errors in the preparation and/or approval ^of the surveyor’s plans. CNA maintains that the preparation and approval of plans qualifies as a professional service and that the damage alleged in the complaint would not have occurred but for the performance of these activities.
To determine whether an exclusion provision applies, the allegations in the underlying suit must be considered in light of the provisions of the insurance policy. Heyden Newport Chem. Corp. v. S. Gen. Ins. Co.,
Following the dictates of the Eight Corners Rule, we examine the relevant portions of the CNA Policy and the underlying suit. The professional services exclusion contained in CNA’s Policy reads as follows:
The insurance provided to the additional insured does not apply to ... “property damage” ... arising out of an architect’s, engineer’s, or surveyor’s rendering of or failure to render any profession services including:
a. The preparing, approving, or failing to prepare or approve maps, shop drawings, opinions, reports, surveys, field orders, change orders or drawings and specifications; and
b. Supervisory, or inspection activities performed as part of any related architectural or engineering activities.
In the underlying suit, the Amended Complaint alleged:
After having an opportunity to review the drilling profile, defendants signed off and approved the plans, on or about December 3, 2005. The process of drilling began and the drill bore damaged EMP-Co’s pipelines.
Defendants owed a duty to use ordinary care to analyze, review, supervise, construct, operate, and monitor the work so that EMPCo’s pipelines would not be damaged.
When the two documents are examined together, it is clear thaf Exxon bases liability at least in part on conduct that does, not qualify under the professional services exclusion. Exxon alleges that “defendants ... approved the plans,” “the drill bore damaged EMPCo’s pipelines,” and “[defendants owed a duty to use ordinary care to analyze, review, supervise, construct, operate, and monitor the work.” Although the allegations include conduct that arguably qualifies as professional service under the terms of the exclusion {e.g., approval of the plans), they also contain conduct that clearly does not fit within the exclusion {e.g., drilling, constructing, operating).
A liability insurer is obligated to defend a suit if the facts alleged in the pleadings would give rise to any claim within the coverage of the policy. See Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA v. Merchs. Fast Motor Lines, Inc.,
CNA argues that the instant case is distinguishable from Utica National because the clause at issue here excludes coverage for property damage arising out of the rendering of or failure to render professional services whereas the clause in
Even assuming that CNA were correct as to the requisite showing, Exxon’s complaint alleges damages that could have occurred even if there was no error in the approval of the plans. For example, even if the survey and its approval were perfect in every respect and the subcontractors simply failed to aim the directional drill correctly, Exxon could still recover. Put differently, conduct that clearly falls outside of the professional services exclusion provides an independent but for cause of the injury.
We have often dealt with cases in which plaintiffs alleged covered and excluded causes for their injuries. Texas courts and this court applying Texas law have recognized a distinction in these cases between cases involving “separate and independent” causation and those involving “concurrent” causation. See Utica Nat’l Ins. Co.,
B
Willbros contends that the district court erred in finding that no conflict exists between the two “Other Insurance” provisions and that CNA’s liability for defense does not begin until the Lexington Policy is exhausted. According to Willbros, the policies are in conflict because, read together, it is impossible to determine which coverage applies. Willbros argues that in these circumstances, Hardware Dealers
It is undisputed that Willbros is an insured under two liability policies, the Lexington Policy and the CNA Policy. The policies contain differing “Other Insurance” clauses: Lexington’s clause provides pro rata coverage;
Athough the district court’s interpretation — that the policies are not in conflict because Lexington’s “Other Insurance” clause, by its own terms, is primary, while CNA’s “Other Insurance” clause, by its own terms, renders its policy excess — is reasonable, it is contrary to controlling
C
Willbros raises two further interrelated challenges to the district court’s judgment. First, Willbros contends that the district court erred in finding the indemnity issues to be non-justiciable. Second, Willbros contends that the district court erred in failing to address the effect of the “Insured Contract” provision of the CNA Policy. Willbros argues that once the district court concluded that Willbros was an “Additional Insured,” then the district court necessarily should have found that the “Insured Contract” provision applied. According to Willbros, the district court should have determined that the “Insured Contract” provision entitled it to 100 percent indemnity from CNA.
In its memorandum opinion, the district court correctly observed that the duty to defend and the duty to indemnify are separate and distinct obligations. See Trinity Universal Ins. Co. v. Cowan,
While this rule that indemnity issues must await resolution of the underlying suit is not per se
Having determined that the duty to indemnify was not ripe when the district court issued its summary judgment, we likewise find no error in its failure to address Willbros’s argument that it is entitled to 100 percent indemnity under the “Insured Contract” provision of the CNA Policy. As this determination also turns on facts to be resolved in the underlying lawsuit, it also was not ripe for consideration. See Id.
Ill
For the aforementioned reasons, we AFFIRM the district court’s determination that the professional services exclusion does not apply and that the indemnity issues were non-justiciable, REVERSE the district court’s determination that the “Other Insurance” provisions are not in conflict, and REMAND for the district court to apportion liability for defense on a pro rata basis and to consider the now-ripe indemnity issues.
Notes
. Prior to the events giving rise to this suit, Harding and RPI entered into a Master Service Agreement ("MSA”) under which RPI, as contractor, routinely awarded, and Harding routinely accepted, subcontractor work. Among other things, the MSA required Harding to carry liability insurance and to add RPI as an additional insured under all such policies. The MSA states that it is "binding upon and insure [sic] to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.” The district court found, and the parties do not dispute, that Willbros, as successor to RPI, succeeded to all rights and benefits previously enjoyed by RPI under the MSA.
. Hardware Dealers Mutual Fire Ins. Co. v. Farmers Ins. Exch.,
. The Lexington Policy contains the following "Other Insurance” provision:
a. Primary Insurance This insurance is primary except when b. Excess Insurance, below, applies. If this insurance is primary, our obligations are not affected unless any of the other insurance is also primary. Then, we will share with all that other insurance by the method described in c. Method of Sharing, below [indicating pro rata],
b. Excess Insurance
This insurance is excess over:
Any other primary insurance available to you covering liability for damages arising out of the premises or operations for which you have been added as an additional insured by attachment of an endorsement.
. The CNA Policy contains the following "Other Insurance” provision:
This insurance is excess over any other insurance naming the additional insured as an insured whether primary, excess, contingent or on any other basis unless a written contract or written agreement specifically requires that this insurance be either primary or primary and noncontributing.
In its brief, Willbros relies on an "Other Insurance” clause from the main policy form in CNA’s Policy. But, for purposes of this appeal, CNA’s main policy is modified by an endorsement that applies when coverage involves an additional insured. Endorsements to a policy generally supersede and control over conflicting printed terms within the main policy. See Mesa Operating Co. v. Cal. Union Ins. Co.,
. The court commends counsel for CNA for his forthrightness in directing the court's attention to controlling precedent contrary to his position.
. See Farmers Texas County Mut. Ins. Co. v. Griffin,
Concurrence Opinion
joins, specially concurring:
I fully agree with the panel opinion. Although I am inclined to disagree with Royal Insurance Co. of America v. Hartford Underwriters Insurance Co.,
Nonetheless, I encourage the court to revisit en banc our interpretation of what constitutes conflicting “other insurance” provisions under Hardware Dealers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. v. Farmers Insurance Exchange,
Indeed Hardware Dealers itself teaches that we should not create a “conflict” when the plain language is not reasonably subject to a construction that produces conflict. In Hardware Dealers, the Texas Supreme Court interpreted conflicting “other insurance” provisions in which the conflict had the potential to leave the insured without coverage. One policy included a provision that excluded from coverage anyone who was covered by other insurance.
When, from the point of view of the insured, she has coverage from either one of two policies but for the other, and each contains a provision which is reasonably subject to a construction that it conflicts with a provision in the other concurrent insurance, there is a conflict in the provisions.
In St. Paul Mercury Insurance Co. v. Lexington Insurance Co.,
Royal Insurance, however, extended the Hardiuare Dealers rule to situations in which the plain language of the contracts was not subject to a reasonable construction that the other insurance provisions were in conflict.
This approach incorrectly treated step one of the Hardware Dealers test as determinative of step two. Hardware Dealers, however, explains that the two steps are separate inquires: The first step instructs us to look at the coverage provided if each policy were the only policy — “When, from the point of view of the insured, she has coverage from either one of two policies but for the other.”
In my view, the plain language of the “Other Insurance” provisions at issue in this case, just as the language at issue in Royal Insurance, is not reasonably subject to a construction that produces a conflict. The Lexington Policy’s “Other Insurance” provision provides that it is primary unless Willbros has other primary insurance available to it, in which case it is only excess insurance. Conversely, the CNA Policy provides that it is excess unless a written agreement specifically requires that it be primary. In this case, there is no such written agreement. Thus, under the plain and unambiguous language of the policies, the Lexington Policy is primary and the CNA Policy is excess. When, as here, the language is not reasonably subject to a construction that the provisions conflict, Hardware Dealers should not apply. Because the plain language of the other insurance provisions provides an unambiguous result that does not leave the insured without coverage, I see no reason to artificially create a conflict in order to impose pro rata liability.
