Opinion ID: 2166865
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Union Mutual Policy

Text: Exclusionary provisions in insurance contracts, such as the one in the Union Mutual homeowner's policy, are ordinarily construed strictly against the insurer and liberally in favor of the insured. Baybutt, 455 A.2d at 921. Coverage under the policy will be excluded  only where such separately stated `exclusions,' when viewed as a whole, unambiguously and unequivocally negate coverage. Id. (emphasis in original). The rule requiring a strict construction against the insurer and a liberal construction in favor of the insured is not applicable unless there is ambiguity in the terms of the policy. The terms of the policy are to be taken and understood in ordinary sense. Unobskey v. Continental Ins. Co., 147 Me. 249, 255-256, 86 A.2d 160, 163 (1952). The terms loading or unloading in the Union Mutual policy exclusionary provision are unambiguous, and must therefore be given their plain and ordinary meaning. Under the facts of the instant case, the insured was removing cargo (i.e., his shotgun) from his vehicle, or unloading the vehicle. The insured's negligent placement of the loaded firearm in the vehicle, together with his carelessness in unloading the vehicle, provide a sufficient causal connection between the act of unloading and the consequent injury. In interpreting a similar exclusionary provision in Morari v. Atlantic Mutual Fire Ins. Co., supra , the Supreme Court of Arizona analyzed a factually analogous situation as follows: The unloading does not have to be the cause in the sense of proximate cause of the accident. The accident need only be connected with the unloading. [The insured's] act in keeping the gun loaded and not on safety created a dangerous condition from which reasonable men might conclude greater care in its subsequent handling was required in order to prevent its accidental discharge. No doubt the rifle could have been removed from the truck with such care that [the defendant] would not have been injured. The careless use in connection with the unloading was the negligent act from which the injury stemmed. Id., 468 P.2d at 566; see also Annotation, Construction and Effect of Provision Excluding Liability for Automobile-Related Injuries or Damage from Coverage of Homeowner's or Personal Liability Policy, 6 A.L.R. 4th 555 (1981); Annotation, Risks Within  Loading and Unloading Clause of Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Policy, 6 A.L.R. 4th 686 (1981). We conclude that under the present facts, coverage for the injuries arising out of the... use, loading or unloading of the insured vehicle is excluded under the Union Mutual policy. For the foregoing reasons, we answer both certified questions in the affirmative. All concurring.