Opinion ID: 771956
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Statement of Facts Relevant to the Certified Questions

Text: 7 The facts in this case are undisputed. From November 1994 until October 1996, David Israel worked as a commercial pilot, flying out of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Israel stayed in Stamford, Connecticut, at the home of his mother and his stepfather (Lenore and William Gunther) when he was working, and stayed in Florida with his wife (Susan Israel) when he was not. As a result, Israel spent over two-thirds of his nights in the Gunthers' Stamford residence during this time period. 8 In May 1996, the car in which David and Susan Israel were traveling in Florida was struck head-on by a car driven by Melvin Root. Because of the severity of the damage to their car, David and Susan Israel were trapped in the automobile for some time, and during that time, David Israel watched his wife die as a result of injuries she sustained in the accident. David Israel survived, but was seriously injured. Mr. Root, who was also killed in the accident, was found to have alcohol and marijuana in his bloodstream. The police investigation that followed found that Mr. Root caused the accident, and for the purposes of this lawsuit, it has been conceded that David and Susan Israel were in no way responsible for the collision. 9 During the relevant time period, Lenore and William Gunther were the named insureds in an umbrella policy 2 issued by State Farm that provided up to $1 million in personal liability and uninsured motorist coverage. According to the definitions section of the policy, those insured under it include those named insured's relatives who are residents of the named insured's household (emphasis in original). 10 A numbered, nine-page booklet titled Personal Liability Umbrella Policy (sometimes hereafter referred to as the nine-page booklet) sets out the definitions of terms used in the policy, the personal liability coverage provided by the policy, exclusions from the policy, the insured's duties to State Farm, and other conditions of the policy. An unnumbered addendum to this booklet, titled Uninsured Motor Vehicle Coverage (uninsured motorist addendum) describes the uninsured motor vehicle coverage provided by the umbrella policy. 11 The portion of the umbrella policy titled Your Duties to Us, found in the nine-page booklet, includes the following language: 12 We [State Farm] may not provide coverage if you refuse to... maintain your underlying insurance. All insurance listed in the Declarations must be maintained at all times. The limits listed in the Declarations are the minimum you must maintain. If the required underlying limits are not maintained, you will be responsible for the underlying limit amount of any loss. If any of your underlying coverage limits are used up, reduced or canceled: 13 a. you must try to replace the coverage; and 14 b. you must notify us immediately. 15 You must maintain your underlying coverage if you travel outside the United States or Canada. If the minimum underlying limits we require are not available, you must obtain the highest legally available limit. 16 (Emphasis in original.) The uninsured motorist addendum provides, You must maintain underlying limits for uninsured motor vehicle coverage equal to the limits listed in the Declarations. If these underlying limits are not maintained, this coverage will not apply (emphasis in original). At the time of the accident, while Lenore and William Gunther maintained this underlying uninsured motorist insurance for their vehicle, David Israel did not for his. 17 Melvin Root was insured, but his insurance failed to fully compensate David Israel and the estate of Susan Israel for their injuries. After exhausting this coverage, David Israel, on behalf of himself and the estate of Susan Israel, made a claim for uninsured motorist coverage under his mother's umbrella policy. 3 State Farm denied the claim. David Israel then brought the present action in Connecticut Superior Court, and State Farm removed the case to federal district court on the basis of diversity jurisdiction. 18 Following discovery, State Farm moved for summary judgment, asserting that (1) David Israel was not a resident of his mother's household and so was not covered by the umbrella policy; and (2) even if David Israel were a resident of his mother's household, his failure to maintain underlying uninsured motorist coverage precluded his claims under the policy. 4 In February 2000, Judge Arterton granted State Farm's summary judgment motion, holding that while Israel was a resident of his mother's household under Connecticut law and thus an insured under the policy, his failure to maintain underlying uninsured motorist coverage precluded any claim under the uninsured motorist coverage of the umbrella policy. 19 This appeal followed. 20