Case Name: MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY v. James Donald JONES, T.C.O. Ministries, The Estate of Monty A. Beckham, and Bentley Beckham and Diane Beckham, The Wrongful Death Heirs of Monty Beckham
Court: Mississippi Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Mississippi
Decision Date: 2000-01-13
Citations: 754 So. 2d 1203
Docket Number: No. 1999-CA-00131-SCT
Parties: MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY v. James Donald JONES, T.C.O. Ministries, The Estate of Monty A. Beckham, and Bentley Beckham and Diane Beckham, The Wrongful Death Heirs of Monty Beckham.
Judges: SULLIVAN AND PITTMAN, P.JJ., McRAE, SMITH AND WALLER, JJ„ CONCUR. MILLS, J„ DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY PRATHER, C.J, AND COBB, J.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 754
Pages: 1203–1207

Head Matter:
MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY v. James Donald JONES, T.C.O. Ministries, The Estate of Monty A. Beckham, and Bentley Beckham and Diane Beckham, The Wrongful Death Heirs of Monty Beckham.
No. 1999-CA-00131-SCT.
Supreme Court of Mississippi.
Jan. 13, 2000.
H. Scot Spragins, Goodloe Tankersley Lewis, Grenada, Attorneys for Appellant.
Wendell H. Trapp, Jr., William Hull Davis, Jr., Corinth, Attorneys for Appel-lees.

Opinion:
BANKS, Justice,
for the Court:
¶ 1. In this case, we are asked to determine the scope of an exclusionary clause of an insurance contract. We apply the familiar principle that such clauses should be strictly construed against the insurer and in favor of the insured. Doing so, we affirm the trial court judgment.
I.
¶ 2. TCO Ministries ("TCO") is a gospel singing group, based in Booneville, Mississippi. In 1994-1995, TCO was a part time ministry performing at churches, revivals, and other similar type church functions. James Donald Jones ("Jones") joined the group in 1993.
¶ 3. In November of 1994, TCO purchased a 1962 "Greyhound" bus for the purposes of transporting the singing group and its equipment. The bus was originally titled in Jones's name, because TCO was told by the seller the bus could be insured as a RV. This was not the case. The bus was not classified as a RV, because it failed to meet certain requirements. In February of 1995, Jones signed the title of the bus over to TCO.
¶ 4. Jones's duties (as a TCO member) were to drive the bus and sell items from TCO's product table. Jones does not sing. Jones obtained a commercial driver's license specifically for the purpose of his bus driving duties. The bus driving duties were also shared by Max Moorman and Gary Cleveland. Whenever TCO used the bus for a trip Jones, Moorman, or Cleveland would drive; however, if the trip was extended, the three would alternate as needed. Jones did not receive any payment for driving the bus.
¶ 5. The bus was originally kept on a church parking lot. However, TCO was required to move the bus when the church needed more parking space. The bus was then kept at Jones's home because he had ample space and his home was centrally located as to the other members of TCO. Jones generally handled the bus maintenance. TCO always paid for, or reimbursed Jones whenever he used his personal money, for the maintenance and gas. It is unclear how many times Jones actually drove the bus. TCO, however, took about eight trips in the bus before the accident.
¶ 6. This case is a declaratory judgment action, which arose out of an automobile accident that occurred on March 3, 1995. The bus, driven by Jones collided, with a car driven by Monty Beckham. Beckham died as a result of the collision. On December 7, 1995, the Estate and heirs of Beckham filed a wrongful death action against Jones in Prentiss County. The bus was insured by State Farm Insurance Company ("State Farm"). Jones was a named driver under State Farm's insurance policy covering the bus. State Farm provided for the defense of Jones and TCO in the wrongful death action.
¶ 7. Jones maintained insurance for his personal vehicle through Mississippi Farm Bureau ("MFB"). Jones made demands for indemnity and defense pursuant to his MFB insurance policy. The relevant part of Jones's MFB insurance policy provides the following coverage exemption:
IV. USE OF OTHER AUTOMOBILES
(d) this insuring agreement does not apply
(1) to any automobile owned by or furnished for the regular use to either the named insured or a member of the same household.
MFB, in doubt as to its coverage obligations to Jones, filed this action seeking declaratory judgment on October 16, 1996. MFB joined Jones, TCO, and the heirs of the estate of Monty Beckham as defendants. Jones and TCO responded through counsel retained by State Farm to defend the wrongful death lawsuit. The other defendants did not answer. After discovery, both sides filed motions for summary judgment. On January 11, 1999, the trial court denied MFB's motion for summary judgment; however, the trial court granted Jones's and TCO's motion for summary judgment. The trial court held Jones was covered by his MFB policy in regard to the bus accident.
II.
¶ 8. We have held that unless the clause of an insurance agreement is ambiguous it should be enforced as written. Gulf Guar. Life Ins. v. Duett, 671 So.2d 1305, 1308 (Miss.1996); Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v. Garriga, 636 So.2d 658, 662 (Miss.1994); Cherry v. Anthony, Gibbs, Sage, 501 So.2d 416, 419 (Miss.1987). We have also held that language in exclusionary clauses must be written in clear and unmistakable language and that such clauses are always strictly interpreted. Johnson v. Preferred Risk Auto. Ins. Co., 659 So.2d 866 (Miss.1995); National Old Line Ins. v. Brownlee, 349 So.2d 513, 514 (Miss.1977); Home Owners Ins. Co. v. Keith's Breeder Farms, Inc., 227 So.2d 293, 296 (Miss.1969). Further, insurance contracts are liberally construed in favor of the insured and strictly construed against the insurer. Burton v. Choctaw County, 730 So.2d 1, 8 (Miss.1999) ("our jurisprudence requires that the language in insurance contracts, especially exclusionary clauses, be construed strongly against the drafter.") (emphasis added); Johnson, 659 So.2d at 871; Gariga, 636 So.2d at 662; State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Seitzs, 394 So.2d 1371, 1373 (Miss. 1981); Cruse v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 369 So.2d 762, 764 (Miss.1979).
119. We ruled on an exclusionary clause similar to the one now before us in Moore v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 239 Miss. 130, 121 So.2d 125 (1960). In Moore, the plaintiff was employed by Wade Tung Oil Co. to drive trucks and perform various other duties. Id. at 133, 121 So.2d at 126. The employer owned 10 trucks all of which the plaintiff drove; he didn't use any one truck specifically. The plaintiff was injured on one occasion while out driving for his employer. He slipped and fell while he was in the trailer of the truck. He made a claim upon his personal car insurance for medical payments. We held that the truck was "furnished for the regular use" of the plaintiff even though the plaintiff did not drive a specific truck and drove only about two times a week. Id.
¶ 10. There are significant differences between Moore and this case, however. Jones was never paid for his services, and he drove much less frequently. It is clear that the vehicle here in question was obtained for the use of the ministry. Jones just happened to be one of the persons with the ministry who drove.
¶ 11. We hold that under the "totality of the circumstances" and in applying a strict construction to the language of the exclusionary clause the bus in question was not "furnished" for Jones's use.
CONCLUSION
¶ 12. For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the circuit court's judgment granting Jones's and TCO's motion for summary judgment and denying MFB's motion for summary judgment.
¶ 13. AFFIRMED.
SULLIVAN AND PITTMAN, P.JJ., McRAE, SMITH AND WALLER, JJ" CONCUR. MILLS, J" DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN OPINION JOINED BY PRATHER, C.J, AND COBB, J.