Court Opinion

ID: 9603461
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:06:33.358094+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:02:11.836123
License: Public Domain

Cureton, Judge
(concurring):
I concur in parts 2 and 3 of the majority opinion. I also concur in part 1 of the opinion but on a basis more simply stated. As I understand Hamilton’s argument the use of the term “an insured person” as appears in the policy is ambiguous. She contends there is significance to the use of the language “an insured” as contrasted to other possible policy language such as “any insured” or “insured persons.” She further argues that because the policy provides the insurance applies separately to each insured person she “must be treated separately” in construing the policy exclusion and the term “insured person” as relates to her insurance coverage means the deceased, John H. Peurifoy, Jr., who is the “alleged tortfeasor.” Because Inglis is not the tortfeasor against whom the action is brought, she asserts the exclusion does not apply to the claim for Inglis’s death.
In an effort to show ambiguity in the exclusion, Hamil*233ton’s counsel argued before us that the exclusion could have been made clearer by use of language that precluded all claims between family members or persons defined in the policy as insured persons. Finally he suggested the exclusion could have simply stated insured persons, as defined in the policy, could not under any circumstances recover for personal injuries.
Exclusions in policies of voluntary insurance as contrasted to exclusions in mandatory insurance policies are permissible unless the exclusion violates a statutorily mandated provision. See Snakenberg v. Hartford Casualty Ins. Co. Inc., 383 S. E. (2d) (S. C. Ct. App. 1989). The purpose of a family exclusion is to exempt the insurer from liability to those persons the insured would be partial to due to close family ties. See Hunter v. Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Ins. Co., 241 S. C. 446, 129 S. E. (2d) 59 (1962).
Hamilton has failed to establish to my satisfaction an ambiguity in the policy. While there is usually room for improving the language of most written documents, it is clear to me from a reading of Part 1 of the policy that Allstate agreed to pay all sums an (which is synonymous with any) insured person becomes legally obligated to pay. In the same part, the policy states Allstate will not cover bodily injury to an insured person. One need only turn to the definition part of the policy to determine that Inglis is an insured. Hamilton suggests ambiguity where none exists and I would so hold.