Opinion ID: 543179
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Accident

Text: 16 Safeco also alleged that sexual molestation, by its nature, is purposeful, not accidental, and therefore is not within the scope of coverage set forth by the policy. See note 2, supra. We agree. In Merced Mut. Ins. Co. v. Mendez, 213 Cal.App.3d 41, 50, 261 Cal.Rptr. 273, 279 (1989), the California Court of Appeal concluded that [a]n accident ... is never present when the insured performs a deliberate act unless some additional, unexpected, independent, and unforeseen happening occurs that produces the damage. Applying that conclusion to the case before it, which concerned forcible sexual assault of an adult woman, the court concluded that the conduct was not an accident within the meaning of the policy. Id. at 50, 261 Cal.Rptr. at 280. See also Allstate Ins. Co. v. Talbot, 690 F.Supp. 886, 888-89 (N.D.Cal.1988) (applying the same reasoning to case of sexual molestation of a minor); Western Nat'l Assurance Co. v. Hecker, 43 Wash.App. 816, 822, 719 P.2d 954, 958 (1986) (same). We affirm, therefore, on this alternative ground as well.