Opinion ID: 1811534
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: whether the circuit court abused its discretion in allowing moore to amend his complaint to add reliance as a defendant.

Text: ¶ 31. Reliance has previously been dismissed from this appeal. Therefore, we need not address this issue. However, the following discussion is included for completeness. ¶ 32. Dowdle argues that the circuit court abused its discretion by allowing Moore to amend his complaint to add Reliance as a defendant. It contends that the circuit court's ruling violates this Court's prior holdings regarding the impropriety of allowing the jury to infer that the plaintiff's verdict will be paid by an insurer and not by the plaintiff. For this assertion, Dowdle and Reliance rely on Ivy v. General Motors Acceptance Corp., 612 So.2d 1108 (Miss.1992); Anchor Coatings, Inc. v. Marine Indus. Residential Insulation, Inc., 490 So.2d 1210 (Miss.1986); West Cash & Carry Building Materials of McComb, Inc. v. Palumbo, 371 So.2d 873 (Miss.1979). These cases are distinguishable from the matter at bar. In each case, the plaintiff sued a defendant who was insured. Comments were made during the course of the trial regarding the fact that the defendant was insured, and this Court, in each case, held that the comments did not rise to the level of reversible error. Ivy, 612 So.2d at 1113; Anchor Coatings, 490 So.2d at 1219; Palumbo, 371 So.2d at 876. ¶ 33. While it is true that we discourage references to the fact that a judgment will be paid by an insurer rather than the defendant, we do not bar claims based on the misconduct of the insurance company itself. In the case sub judice, Moore is suing Reliance for tort causes of action, not reasons regarding any liability policies owned by Dowdle Gas. The decisions of this Court in no way prevent such an action. See, e.g., Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Berry, 669 So.2d 56 (Miss.1996) (widow brought suit against husband's insurance company for conversion, fraud and negligent procurement of claims). Of course, the decisions of this Court prohibit the suggestion before the jury, upon remand, that the insurance would cover in whole or in part any judgment awarded Moore. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing Moore to amend his complaint to state claims for trespass, conversion of chattels, and fraud against Reliance.