Opinion ID: 2631850
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: standard of review

Text: [¶ 8] An insurance policy constitutes a contract between the insurer and the insured. Helm v. Board of County Comm'rs, 989 P.2d 1273, 1275 (Wyo.1999). When called upon to determine the meaning of a contract, our focus is upon the intent of the parties. Wolter v. Equitable Resources Energy Co., 979 P.2d 948, 951 (Wyo.1999). The nature of the exercise depends upon the clarity with which the parties have memorialized their intent. Clarity and lack of ambiguity limit the exercise to one of interpretation marked by a simple reiteration of the parties' intent gleaned from within the four corners of the document. Sierra Trading Post, Inc. v. Hinson, 996 P.2d 1144, 1148 (Wyo.2000). [¶ 9] Only when a contract is ambiguous do we acquire license to construe that document by resort to rules of construction. Sinclair Oil Corp. v. Republic Ins. Co., 929 P.2d 535, 539 (Wyo.1996); Martin v. Farmers Ins. Exch., 894 P.2d 618, 620 (Wyo. 1995). An exception to construing insurance policies as other contracts has been observed by this court where the language of the policy is ambiguous. Ahrenholtz v. Time Ins. Co., 968 P.2d 946, 949 (Wyo.1998); State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Paulson, 756 P.2d 764, 765 (Wyo.1988). Because insurance policies represent contracts of adhesion where the insured has little or no bargaining power to vary the terms, if the language is ambiguous, the policy is strictly construed against the insurer. Doctors' Co. v. Insurance Corp. of America, 864 P.2d 1018, 1024 (Wyo.1993) (citing St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Albany County Sch. Dist. No. 1, 763 P.2d 1255, 1258 (Wyo.1988)). Ambiguity is found if indefiniteness of expression or double meaning obscure the intent of the parties, though disagreement between the parties as to the Agreement's meaning does not give rise to an ambiguity. Hansen v. Little Bear Inn Co., 9 P.3d 960, 964 (Wyo.2000). Whether there is ambiguity within the four corners of the contract is a question of law. Martin v. Farmers Ins. Exchange, 894 P.2d at 620.