Court Opinion

ID: 9734082
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 17:24:54.896999+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:26:45.548608
License: Public Domain

*102RUDOLPH, P. J.
(dissenting)
The Insurance Company having elected to include these several tracts of land, operated as a unit, in the one policy, I am inclined to the view that the highway immediately adjoining one tract at the gate of that tract should be held to be immediately adjoining the premises for the purpose of farm operation throughout its course in connecting the several tracts.
I generally concur in the views of the trial court as expressed in the first and last paragraphs of his memorandum opinion as follows:
“The Comprehensive Farm Liability Policy issued by defendant company to plaintiffs insured the plaintiffs against liability as to coverages stated in the policy arising from custom farming operations on 800 acres of land located in four sections as shown by the plat, Ex. 1. From the farm'buildings in Section 33, other parts of the land in Sections 34, 27 and 22 could not be reached except on connecting public highways, portions of which were not immediately opposite to any part of the land. The defendant company through its agents knew the nature of plaintiffs’ farming operations and the location of the land with reference to public highways. * * *
“The policy involved was written by the defendant with knowledge of the nature of the plaintiffs’ farming operations and the location and accessibility of the 800 acres of land with reference to the highways. The meaning of the term ‘ways immediately adjoining’ must be determined by reference to the facts and circumstances of this particular case. What was the intention of the parties in light of the fact situation? I think it reasonable to so construe the term that the use of the truck in the farming operations on a way necessarily traveled in going from one part of the land to another was not so far separated from the premises covered as to come within the exclusion. At the time of the collision the truck was on a way which connected the separate tracts and was necessarily used in farming the land described in the policy. Based upon the fact situation in this case, I hold that the collision occurred on a way immediately adjoining the premises within the meaning intended by the parties in writing the policy contract.”