Chu

Mercury Casualty Company (Mercury) filed an action seeking declaratory relief regarding its insurance obligation towards students Hung Chu (Chu) and his roommate Tu Pham (Pham). Mercury issued an automobile policy to Chu insuring his 1995 Honda Accord. Chu was driving, and Pham was a passenger, when Chu collided with a vehicle driven by Krystal Nguyen Hoang (Hoang). Pham filed a personal injury action against Chu and Hoang and obtained a $333,300 judgment against Chu. Mercury sought a judicial determination confirming Mercury’s decision Chu’s policy excluded coverage for Pham’s judgment under the “resident exclusion.” Mercury also sought an order requiring Chu to reimburse Mercury the fees and costs it incurred in defending him against Pham’s lawsuit.

Chu filed a cross-complaint against Mercury for breach of contract, bad faith, and general negligence. Mercury prevailed in its motion for summary adjudication on the issue of whether the policy provided coverage for Pham’s judgment. The court determined Mercury had no duty to indemnify Chu with respect to the judgment. It granted Mercury’s motion for judgment on the pleadings (JOP) on Chu’s cross-complaint but determined…