Opinion ID: 1272625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Unsigned Endorsement

Text: During the oral argument of this matter, Appellant called to our attention [19] the fact that the signature line on Endorsement No. 7 to the National Union policy does not bear the signature of an authorized state representative. Following oral argument, Appellant asked this Court to take judicial notice of the fact that there are two recent circuit court rulings from West Virginia trial courts concluding that an unsigned endorsement is not part of an insurance policy. Consequently, an unsigned endorsement cannot operate to modify the terms of coverage as intended by the insurer. Citing language from O'Neal v. Pocahontas Transportation Co., 99 W.Va. 456, 129 S.E. 478 (1925), the Circuit Court of Marshall County [20] ruled that an unsigned endorsement [21] to an insurance policy issued by National Union Fire Insurance Company was not part of the insurance policy. See id. at 465, 129 S.E. at 481. Consequently, Appellant suggests that the language of Endorsement No. 7, which seeks to limit coverage to liability arising from certain types of acts committed by the Department, would not be in effect as a means of excluding coverage were this same reasoning to be applied to this case. Preferring to allow the lower court to rule upon this issue as an initial matter, we do wish to call this matter to the trial court's attention for purposes of remand. Given both this issue of the unsigned endorsementa matter that the Department will presumably seek to rectify in prompt fashion in both this case and others [22] as well as the uncertainty of how the remaining issues will be decided, the parties may wish to pursue a more expeditious means of seeking finality in this case. [23] Based on the foregoing, the decision of the Circuit Court of Kanawha County is hereby reversed and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. Reversed and remanded.