Court Opinion

ID: 9550492
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 18:35:54.75908+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:21:38.294120
License: Public Domain

ANDREWS, Judge (specially concurring). While I agree that the summary judgment granted herein should be reviewed and the case remanded, my reasons for such a conclusion differ from those of the majority. As stated in the majority opinion, in determining whether an uncertainty or ambiguity exists the policy must be considered as a whole. See Ivy Nelson Grain Co. v. Commercial U. Ins. Co. of N.Y., 80 N.M. 224, 453 P.2d 587 (1969). In my opinion, the policy, when reviewed in its entirety, is ambiguous. Thompson v. Occidental Life Ins. Co. of Cal., 90 N.M. 620, 567 P.2d 62 (Ct.App.) cert. denied, 91 N.M. 4, 569 P.2d 414 (1977). Consequently, there is no need to find provision (1) ambiguous in itself, and to do so is to ignore the rule established in Hoge v. Farmers Market & Supply Co. of Las Cruces, 61 N.M. 138, 296 P.2d 476 (1956), that a single sentence or paragraph may not be selected as support either for the decision that a contract is clear and plain as to its meaning, or for the decision that it is uncertain, indefinite and ambiguous. Furthermore, even if the majority were correct in determining the ambiguity of the contract by reference to one provision, I would be unable to find ambiguity in provision (1). The phrase “affiliated and/or associated entities” refers to an entity which has an intimate business relationship in which significant aspects of financial and managerial control of the insured and the affiliate or associate are integrated. Travelers Indem. Co. v. United States, 543 F.2d 71 (9th Cir. 1976). As stated in Travelers: [ejxpressed in terms of doctrines of interpretation we believe we should employ ejusdem generis in interpreting the terms “affiliated” and “associated”. Thus, these terms will be interpreted so as to make them applicable to persons, things, or entities of the same general nature or class as those specifically enumerated, viz. corporations, firms, individuals or other entities, parents or subsidiaries, of, or owned or controlled by [the insured]. 543 F.2d at 76. Thus, while there may be a question of fact as to whether some slightly connected entities are “associated and/or affiliated” within the meaning of the clause, to expand this language to include contractors and subcontractors is entirely unwarranted. As the majority suggests, we must not resort to a strained construction for the purpose of creating an ambiguity where no ambiguity in fact exists. Safeco Ins. Co. of America, Inc. v. McKenna, 90 N.M. 516, 565 P.2d 1033 (1977). Thus, while I agree that this case should be remanded to the trial court for a determination of the intent of the parties, I do not agree that this intent can be determined by admitting extrinsic evidence of the meaning of policy provision (1), which is, in this context, clear and unambiguous.