United Pacific Insurance Company, a Corporation v. Harold Meyer, United Pacific Insurance Company, a Washington Corporation v. C. G. Pope

Each of the appellees above named, as plaintiffs, brought suit in the State court of Idaho and recovered judgments against one William Trowbridge for personal injuries received by them by reason of the latter’s alleged negligence. At the time of the injuries Trowbridge was working on the construction of a certain hospital building which was being erected by one Cahoon, a general contractor, under contract with the State of Idaho. The said appellees-plaintiffs, after recovery of their respective judgments, were unable to collect from Trowbridge and proceeded to bring these actions in the court below to recover the amount of such judgments from the appellant United Pacific Insurance Company, asserting that it had provided or was under obligation to provide liability insurance to protect Trowbridge against public liability in respect to his operations in connection with the building construction.

It was conceded that the Insurance Company had been tendered the defense of the original actions against Trow-bridge and that it had declined responsibility. United Pacific had issued a policy of liability insurance to Cahoon, the general contractor. The trial court held that the contract…