Court Opinion

ID: 9523480
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 02:42:59.558639+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:06:06.002806
License: Public Domain

MR. JUSTICE GOLDENHERSH, dissenting: I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion and would affirm the judgment of the appellate court. In reaching its conclusion the majority states that “The exclusionary language is clear.” The “clarity” of the language is demonstrated by the split of authority reviewed in the majority opinion and the divergence of views expressed by the trial court and the two opinions filed in the appellate court. The only language in the policy which is clear is the insuring clause of Division 1 set out in the opinion. In interpreting the exclusionary clause in the manner in which it does, the majority demonstrates the accuracy of Judge Biegelmeier’s statement in Farmers Mutual Automobile Ins. Co. v. Bechard (1963), 80 S.D. 237, 122 N.W.2d 86, wherein he said, “It has been said facetiously of insurance policies ‘The front page giveth but the back page taketh away’ ”, and that of Judge Osborne, writing for the Court of Appeals of Kentucky (Universal Underwriters Ins. Co. v. Travelers Insurance Co. (1970), 451 S.W.2d 616, 622-623), who said, “Ambiguity and incomprehensibility seem to be the favorite tools of the insurance trade in drafting policies. *** It seems that insurers generally are attempting to convince the customer when selling the policy that everything is covered and convince the court when a claim is made that nothing is covered. The miracle of it all is that the English language can be subjected to such abuse and still remain an instrument of communication ***.”