Opinion ID: 2308721
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Keystone Policy:

Text: Keystone is Jordan's liability insurer. Under its policy, Keystone would provide coverage up to $100,000 to Jordan when driving a car that is substituted for her own while her own is being repaired. The Keystone policy states that when other liability insurance applies, Keystone is obligated to pay only its share of the loss. Our share is the proportion that our limit of liability bears to the total of all applicable limits. However, any insurance we provide for a vehicle you do not own shall be excess over any other collectible insurance. In addition, Part A, section A of the Keystone policy addresses paying Jordan's defense costs, and provides that Keystone would settle or defend claims or suits and would pay all defense costs (in addition to limits of liability), but would not settle or defend once the limit of liability had been exhausted. Globe initiated this declaratory judgment action. Defendants Jordan and Keystone counterclaimed against Globe, cross-claimed against the other defendants, [1] and impleaded Lee Dodge as a third-party defendant, seeking declaratory relief on the same issues presented by Globe, i.e., the obligations of Globe and of Keystone to defend and indemnify Jordan in the underlying Gervais lawsuit. Jordan and Keystone (jointly) and Globe filed motions for summary judgment. Jordan and Keystone argue that Globe's Garage policy provides primary coverage to Jordan and that Globe's Umbrella policy provides her with secondary coverage. They contend that coverage under Globe's Umbrella policy and the Keystone policy should be allocated in the same proportions as the limits of each policy, and that Globe should indemnify Keystone for Keystone's defense costs. In entering a summary judgment, the court rejected the contentions of Jordan and Keystone. The court noted that the parties stipulated that Lee Dodge was an auto dealership, and determined that (1) Jordan was excluded from coverage under Globe's Garage policy by the customer exclusion clause; (2) under the Garage policy, Globe owed coverage to Jordan only to the minimum amount required by statute; (3) Jordan was not covered by Globe's Umbrella insurance policy; and (4) Keystone and Globe must contribute to the defense of Jordan in the underlying suit on an equitable basis in the same ratio as their obligations to indemnify. This appeal followed. Because there is no dispute as to the material facts relevant to this appeal, the court properly entertained motions for a summary judgment, Lewiston Bottled Gas Co. v. Key Bank of Maine, 601 A.2d 91, 93 (Me.1992), and entered its declaratory judgment. The court's decision was based on an interpretation of the insurance policies. Unless it is ambiguous, construction of language in written documents is a question of law. See Northern Util., Inc. v. City of South Portland, 536 A.2d 1116, 1117 (Me.1988). Therefore, we review the Superior Court decision for errors of law. See Northern Util., 536 A.2d at 1117; see also Currier v. Cyr, 570 A.2d 1205, 1208 (Me.1990).