Schubert v. Auto Owners Ins. Co., No. 10-2761 (8th Cir. 2011)
Annotate this CaseAuto Owners Insurance Company (Auto Owners) appealed an order granting summary judgment in favor of appellee and awarding her $124,500, the face value of the insurance policy sold to her by Auto Owners. Because Schubert owned a one-half interest in the dwelling covered by the policy, which was completely destroyed by fire, Auto Owners offered to pay her half of the policy value. Auto Owners cited a provision within the policy which limited recovery to "[no] more than the insurable interest the insured had in the covered property at the time of the loss." The district court declared this provision void as contrary to the public policy expressed in the Missouri valued policy statute, Mo. Rev. Stat. 379.140, and alternatively found its language ambiguous so as to allow appellee to recover the face value of the insurance policy. The court agreed with the district court's conclusions as to both points and affirmed the judgment. The court also held that, after initially questioning its jurisdiction over the matter, the case satisfied the $75,000 amount-in-controversy requirement and jurisdiction was proper.
Court Description: Civil case - Insurance. Insurance policy provision which limited recovery to no more than the insurable interest the insured had in the covered property at the time of the loss was void as contrary to the public policy expressed in the Missouri valued policy statute, Mo. Rev. Stat. Sec. 379.140 (2000); alternatively, the provision is ambiguous and cannot be used to reduce the insured's recovery.
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