Wernicke

Wernicke v. American Family Mutual Insurance

Good Law
135 F. App'x 15
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitMay 26, 2005No. 03-16512California319 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM *

Danica and Kira Nagle appeal the district court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of American Family Mutual Insurance Company. Applying State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. v. Falness, 39 F.3d 966 (9th Cir.1994), we reverse and remand for further proceedings.

In Falness , we determined that a “so-called named insured exclusion” was beyond the range of the insured’s reasonable expectations: ‘Whether the passenger spouse is considered as a named insured or as a member of the household, the insured driver would reasonably expect coverage for the spouse’s claims.” Id. at 966-68 . We discern no meaningful distinction between the exclusion at issue in Falness and the exclusion at issue here.

Because the present exclusion is thus “unexpected,” it may not be enforced if “the insured did not receive full and adequate notice.” Gordinier v. Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 154 Ariz. 266 , 742 P.2d 277, 283-84 (1987). The record before us supports the appellants’ claim that insured James C. Wernicke did not receive such notice. To be sure, Wernicke testified at his deposition that he received and read the policies — after he purchased them — but he also testified that at the…

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