Summary
finding that the insurance company's eight-month delay in disclaiming coverage was unreasonable as a matter of law
Summary of this case from Great Lakes Ins. Se v. Sunset Watersports, Inc.Opinion
May 31, 1994
Appeal from the Supreme Court, Westchester County (Burrows, J.).
Ordered that the order is affirmed, without costs or disbursements.
While it is well established in this State that an insurance broker is the agent of the insured and "notice to the ordinary insurance broker is not notice to the liability carrier" (Security Mut. Ins. Co. v. Acker-Fitzsimons Corp., 31 N.Y.2d 436, 442, n 3; Kamyr, Inc. v. St. Paul Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 152 A.D.2d 62, 65), a broker will be held to have acted as the insurer's agent where "'[t]here [is some] evidence of * * * action on the insurer's part, or facts from which a general authority to represent the insurer may be inferred'" (Kamyr, Inc. v. St. Paul Surplus Lines Ins. Co., supra, at 66, quoting Matco Prods. v. Boston Old Colony Ins. Co., 104 A.D.2d 793, 796; see also, Transamerica Interway v. Commercial Union Assur. Co., 97 FRD 419, 422; Ford v. Unity Hosp., 32 N.Y.2d 464, 473; Jet Setting Serv. Corp. v. Toomey, 91 A.D.2d 431; D.C.G. Trucking Corp. v. Zurich Ins. Co., 81 A.D.2d 990, 991; Price v. Lawrence-Van Voast, Inc., 58 A.D.2d 727; Insurance Law § 3420 [a] [3]). The Supreme Court properly determined that the issue of whether the appellant, Calvert Insurance Company (hereinafter Calvert) held out the defendant Dayton, Corey Dubben, Inc., as its apparent agent precluded the granting of summary judgment (see, Kamyr, Inc. v. St. Paul Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 152 A.D.2d, at 65, supra; Jet Setting Serv. Corp. v. Toomey, 91 A.D.2d 431, supra; Price v Lawrence-Van Voast, Inc., 58 A.D.2d 727, supra).
In addition, in light of the evidence that Calvert did not investigate the claim between the time it received notice in April 1986 and the time of its disclaimer in December 1986, and in light of Calvert's July 7, 1986, letter to another insurer regarding its willingness to discuss the sharing of defense costs, the Supreme Court properly determined that Calvert's eight-month delay in disclaiming based upon the plaintiff's late notice of claim was unreasonable as a matter of law (see, Kamyr, Inc. v. St. Paul Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 152 A.D.2d, at 67, supra; compare, Greater N.Y. Sav. Bank v. Travelers Ins. Co., 173 A.D.2d 521). Insurance Law § 3420 (d) is inapplicable to this case since the underlying claim does not involve death or bodily injury. Thus, despite the fact that Calvert's disclaimer was untimely, it will be given effect unless the plaintiff can show prejudice as a result of unreasonable delay in disclaiming (see, Greater N.Y. Sav. Bank v. Travelers Ins. Co., supra). The Supreme Court also properly determined that the Village demonstrated sufficient evidence of prejudice to create a triable issue of fact as to whether Calvert should be estopped from disclaiming (see, Allstate Ins. Co. v. Gross, 27 N.Y.2d 263, 267; Kamyr, Inc. v. St. Paul Surplus Lines Ins. Co., 152 A.D.2d, at 67, supra; Corcoran v. Abbott Sommers, Inc., 143 A.D.2d 874).
We have considered the parties' remaining contentions and find them to be without merit. Lawrence, J.P., Ritter, Hart and Krausman, JJ., concur.