Roger L. Efremsky, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge.
On March 9, 2016, Barry Chatz, as trustee for the CFB/WFB Liquidating Trust
On May 31, 2016, Continental filed its motion for partial summary judgment on its Counterclaim (the "Summary Judgment Motion"). The Summary Judgment Motion has been fully briefed. For the reasons explained here, the Summary Judgment Motion is denied because Continental's interpretation of the relevant sections of the Plan is incorrect.
Debtors manufactured and distributed refractory products some of which contained asbestos. As of the October 2001 petition date, Debtors were defendants in numerous personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits in which over 22,000 individuals asserted asbestos personal injury claims against Debtors and their affiliates. Main Case Docket no. 422, p. 7 (June 1, 2012 Disclosure Statement).
Debtors had purchased third party liability insurance policies from a number of insurers. When they filed their chapter 11 cases, Debtors had not yet exhausted their primary and excess insurance policies with coverage periods between November 25, 1959 and January 1, 1987 and these insurance policies were the main assets of the estate. Disclosure Statement, p. 8-9.
During the case, Debtors negotiated "buyback" settlements with three of their primary insurance carriers (Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company, Bituminous Casualty Corporation, and ACE Insurance Company) (the Settlements, Settlement Agreements, and the Settling Insurers). The Debtors obtained approximately $11.5 million from these three Settlements. Debtors did not reach a "buyback" settlement with Continental, their only other primary insurance carrier.
Debtors' Plan was filed in June 2012 and confirmed in September 2012. Main Case Docket no. 421 (the Plan), Docket no. 460 (Confirmation Order). Sections 9.1-9.3 of the Plan incorporated the Settlements. Section 8.1 of the Plan described the liquidating trust to which the Settlement proceeds were transferred and through which allowed asbestos personal injury claims, designated as Class 3 and Class 4 (the "Claims"), were to be paid in accordance with the trust distribution procedures (the "Trust Distribution Procedures") which were also incorporated into the Plan.
Pursuant to the Settlements, Debtors sold their policies to the Settling Insurers free and clear of any liens, claims, interests, and encumbrances under Bankruptcy
The Plan also incorporated agreed upon treatment of Continental's insurance obligations. Section 8.3 is entitled "Handling of Claims for which Continental May Have Financial Responsibility." This section is the focus of the dispute in this Summary Judgment Motion and will be discussed in detail below. In short, it (1) provides that the Trust will give Continental a proposal for the payment of the liquidated value of the Claims the Trust contends Continental is responsible for (the "Proposals"); (2) provides a structure and deadlines for Continental to accept or reject any such Proposals; and (3) sets out the consequences that flow from Continental's response to a Proposal. Plan, § 8.3.
Section 16.19 of the Plan is entitled "Insurance Neutrality." It provides, in brief, that nothing in the Plan, the Trust Distribution Procedures, or any Settlement Agreement shall impair an insurer's rights, Debtors' rights, and/or the Trust's rights against the Settling Insurers except to the extent impaired or limited in a Settlement Agreement and/or as expressly provided in § 7.3 of the Plan. Plan, § 16.19.
Continental sold Debtors three primary-level comprehensive general liability insurance policies which covered asbestos personal injuries occurring from January 1, 1985 to January 1, 1988. Each policy provided $1 million in coverage. Approximately $2.56 million in coverage under these three policies remained available for payment of the Claims when the Plan was confirmed. AP Docket no. 19, ¶ 5.
The Trust attached copies of three Continental policies to the first amended complaint. AP Docket no. 15, Ex. A-C. These copies of the policies were missing pages, included duplicate pages, and were, in part, illegible. The court requested complete legible, copies. On September 23, 2016, the parties filed a joint stipulation which attached revised versions of the three policies to be substituted for the original exhibits. AP Docket no. 40, Ex. 1-3. The stipulation states that the parties believe that "certain pages of the insuring agreements of the policies may be missing." The court notes that there are, in fact, missing pages but whether the missing pages are only the referenced pages of the "insuring agreements" is unknown.
With respect to bodily injury liability, the record versions of the 1985 and 1986 policies state: "The company will pay on
The record version of the 1986 policy includes a page defining bodily injury as "bodily injury, sickness or disease sustained by any person which occurs during the policy period, including death at any time resulting therefrom." AP Docket no. 40, Ex. 2, p. 18.
As a result of the Settlements, plus the payment from Debtors' insolvent insurer Home Insurance Company, and the settlement with its excess insurer Safety National, the Trust initially had approximately $16 million to pay Claims according to the Plan and the Trust Distribution Procedures (the "Insurance Fund").
The Trust Distribution Procedures establish a detailed process for the submission and review of Claims and set forth the requirements for proof of exposure to asbestos and illness.
In 2013, the Trust began to review Claims. In October 2015, the Trust filed a motion for entry of an order approving and allowing Claims which the court granted (the "Allowance Motion" and the "Allowed Claims"). Main Case Docket nos. 533, 543. The Allowance Motion stated that the Trust had received almost 28,000 Claims for review and had determined that approximately 14,000 Claims with a liquidated value of $46 million satisfied the Trust Distribution Procedures' requirements for allowance. The Allowance Motion stated that the Trust was holding over $14 million from which to make pro rata
Between May and September 2015, the Trust submitted Proposals to Continental regarding the payment of Allowed Claims that triggered Continental's policies as § 8.3 of the Plan provides. AP Docket no. 15, Ex. D, E, H, I. In each of these Proposals, the Trust contended that Continental's allocated percentage of the liquidated value of each Claim was 100% of the liquidated value of each Claim.
According to Continental's Summary Judgment Motion and the Trust's Opposition, the Trust has submitted Proposals to Continental covering 1,133 Allowed Claims with a liquidated value of $7.9 million (the "Tendered Claims"). AP Docket no. 27, p. 11; AP Docket no. 32, p. 16. In addition, the Trust's Opposition states that there are 12,365 Allowed Claims with a liquidated value of $38.1 million which the Trust has not tendered to Continental (the "Non-Tendered Claims") and among the Non-Tendered Claims, 1,037 Allowed Claims, with a liquidated value of $14.9 million, involve occupational exposure to asbestos prior to the start of the coverage period for Continental's policies, i.e., before January 1, 1985. AP Docket no. 32, p. 16.
Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, applicable here by Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 7056, provides that "[t]he court shall grant summary judgment if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." At the summary judgment stage, the court's function is not to weigh evidence and determine the truth of the matter, but to determine whether there is a genuine issue for trial. Fed.R.Bankr.P. 7056;
Continental's counterclaim seeks a declaratory judgment under 28 U.S.C. § 2201 regarding interpretation of certain provisions of the Plan.
The court has discretion to grant declaratory relief in appropriate circumstances such as this one.
Neither party claims that there are disputed facts and neither claims the Plan is ambiguous. Nevertheless, Continental suggests that if the court finds the Plan is ambiguous, Continental will provide extrinsic
Continental's Counterclaim seeks a declaratory judgment regarding the interpretation of § 8.3 of the Plan. Specifically, by this Summary Judgment Motion, Continental wants the court to find:
AP Docket no. 27, AP Docket no. 19, ¶ 18.
The thrust of Continental's summary judgment argument is that by proposing an "allocated percentage" of 100% of the liquidated value of the Tendered Claims, the Trust is trying to hold Continental liable for more than its fair share of each Tendered Claim. Continental argues that the Trust has to assign to Continental only that portion of each Tendered Claim for which Continental would have financial responsibility under a post hoc equitable contribution action. AP Docket no. 27, p. 15. Continental contends that the precise allocation method is not yet at issue but, somewhat inconsistently, also contends that the Trust had to perform an equitable contribution analysis for each Tendered Claim and make an allocation based on it in any Proposal sent to Continental. AP Docket no. 34, p. 16. Accordingly, because the Trust's Proposals with an "allocated percentage" of 100% are, in Continental's view, invalid, Continental's 90-day time period to respond under § 8.3 of the Plan has not begun to run. AP Docket no. 27.
The Trust argues that the language of § 8.3 of the Plan is clear. It simply provides that the Trust is to make a Proposal to Continental stating the allocated percentage of the liquidated value of the Tendered Claims that the Trust contends is appropriate; it does not preclude the Trust from contending that Continental's allocated percentage is 100% of the liquidated value of the Tendered Claims. AP Docket no. 32.
The Trust also argues that, while the language of § 8.3 does not require its Proposals to allocate as Continental insists,
A chapter 11 plan is a contract to which general rules of contract interpretation apply.
Where a technical term in a contract does not have a commonly understood meaning, it is to be given its technical meaning.
Section 8.3 of the Plan begins by stating that it modifies and supplements the Trust Distribution Procedures and controls with respect to "the handling of Claims or an allocated portion thereof, for which the Liquidating Trust contends that Continental may have financial responsibility." It then states, in relevant part:
Plan, § 8.3 (emphasis added).
Section 8.3 limits the number of Claims that may be submitted to Continental to 660 in any quarter and 2,500 in any calendar year. The section gives Continental 90 days to inform the Trust whether it accepts or rejects the terms of any Proposal and describes what the Trust may do if Continental rejects a Proposal: the Trust may pay the Claim and then recover from Continental.
Continental argues that the phrase "allocated percentage" in § 8.3 of the Plan must be given a technical, insurance-specific meaning which necessarily excludes an allocated percentage of 100%. Based on this interpretation, Continental declined to respond to any Tendered Claim on its merits. The court disagrees with Continental's interpretation; it is contrary to the plain and obvious meaning of the language in § 8.3.
First, "allocate" is a word with a commonly understood meaning; it is not a technical term. As used here, it simply means to assign. The question before the court also concerns use of the phrase "allocated percentage" in the Plan, not in an insurance policy. Second, giving "allocate" an insurance-specific meaning — if there is one — does not lead to the conclusion Continental urges.
Third, use of the word "tender" in § 8.3 does not show that an insurance-specific meaning must be given to the word "allocate." As it is used in § 8.3 of the Plan, "tender" simply means the Trust will present a Proposal for the payment of certain Allowed Claims — based on the Trust's contention as to the proper amount Continental must pay. The word "tender" in § 8.3 does not have a technical meaning which it might have in another context, i.e., a coverage dispute.
Based on the foregoing, the Trust's interpretation of § 8.3 is the appropriate one. An "allocated percentage of 100%"
The parties agree that under
In insurance law, "the right to contribution is an equitable principle arising among co-insurers which permits one who has paid the entire loss to receive reimbursement from another insurer liable for the loss."
Continental argues that the "other insurance" clause in its policies supports its entitlement to contribution. AP Docket no. 27, p. 18, AP Docket no. 40, Ex. 2, p. 19. This provision is relevant when Continental's insurance policies and some other insurance policies apply to a loss; the provision requires a reference to the other insurance policies to determine whether "contribution by equal shares" or "contribution by limits" is theoretically involved.
Continental asserts that the Trust is in possession of the policies of the three Settling Insurers and so was required to perform an equitable contribution analysis in advance of making a Proposal for the payment of each Tendered Claim using some unspecified allocation method based on these other policies and the facts of each Tendered Claim.
In an action by a settling insurer seeking equitable contribution from another insurer, the burden is on the insurer seeking contribution to prove the requisite factual predicates for it.
Section 8.3 does not impose this burden on the Trust for the benefit of Continental. The language of § 8.3 gives the Trust flexibility; it allows the Trust to state its contention regarding the allocated percentage Continental must pay. When it negotiated the terms of the Plan, Continental was well aware of the terms of the Settlements and their effect on Continental's equitable contribution rights.
Continental argues that use of an allocated percentage of 100% creates unjust enrichment to the Trust which equitable contribution is designed to correct. For several reasons, Continental's effort to use an equitable doctrine offends the equitable principles in play here. Continental is not being asked to pay more than its fair share.
First, Continental's approach would require the Trust to spread each Tendered Claim among each Settling Insurer's coverage — an undertaking that would seem to delay the closing of this case by many years and at significant administrative expense. To claim that this sort of delay is warranted by an equitable principle is astounding. The delay benefits only Continental and burdens the Trust and its beneficiaries.
Second, there are Allowed Claims with a liquidated value of $46 million and the Trust was funded with $16 million, $11.5 million of which came from the Settling Insurers. There are 1,133 Tendered Claims with a liquidated value of $7.9 million and Continental has $2.56 million in available coverage. There are 12,365 Non-Tendered Claims with a liquidated value of $38.1 million. Of these 12,365 Non-Tendered Claims, there are 1,037 claims with a liquidated value of $14.9 million that do not trigger Continental's policies. Standing alone, this $14.9 million group of Non-Tendered Claims exhausts the remaining coverage under the Settling Insurers' policies. Based on this calculation, the Trust determined that under any allocation theory, Continental will be required to pay its $2.56 million in policy limits on the Tendered Claims. Accordingly, the Trust made the prudent decision to refrain from performing what it determined was a pointless and expensive exercise. Section 8.3 does not mandate this and the court will not compel the Trust to undertake it now. There is clearly no threat of unjust enrichment to the Trust, the Settling Insurers, or the holders of the Allowed Claims. Any unjust enrichment would be only Continental's if its approach were employed.
Continental concedes that an allocated percentage of 100% is appropriate if the
The Trust argues that the court need not find that the Settling Insurers' policies are exhausted to rule in the Trust's favor on the interpretation of § 8.3, but certainly can make this finding on this record. Here, the Settling Insurers each paid more than their policy limits and obtained releases from the estate; these Settlements are equivalent to fully paying their policy limits for the exclusive benefit of the holders of Allowed Claims. The Trust argues that the Settling Insurers have thus completely fulfilled their obligations as insurers and their policies are, in effect, exhausted.
However, under Illinois law, the holders of Allowed Claims may have an interest in the policy proceeds which were transferred to the Trust.
While the existence of the Insurance Fund held by the Trust may suggest that the Settling Insurers' policies are not technically exhausted, this fact alone is insufficient to require the Trust to perform what is ultimately a pointless equitable contribution analysis and propose an allocation that Continental may or may not find acceptable. The Plan does not require it, and in fact, specifically permits the Trust to submit Proposals to Continental based on the Trust's contention regarding Continental's obligations.
Continental also argues that the Trust's position makes Continental's obligations equivalent to those of the Settling Insurers under their "buyback" Settlements. This is incorrect. The Settling Insurers each paid more than their policy limits in 2012. Continental has no such obligation and the Trust is not seeking to impose one. The Settling Insurers each performed their obligations under the Settlements as of the effective date of the Plan in 2012. Now, some four years later, Continental is instead asking for a strained interpretation of the Plan that appears designed to prolong the life of the Trust for Continental's benefit, and at the expense of the Trust and the holders of Allowed Claims. It is worth remembering that the Claimants were injured in the 1980's, that this case has been pending since 2001, and imposing further unnecessary delay in compensating the Claimants or their estates is, on these facts, unfair.
Section 8.3 of the Plan says the Trust is to make a Proposal to Continental of the allocated percentage of the liquidated value of the Claims for which the Trust contends Continental is responsible. An allocated percentage of 100% is an allocation. The Trust made Proposals to Continental that conformed to the terms of the Plan and Continental had a duty under the Plan to respond to the Proposals made by the Trust. In addition, the undisputed facts show there is no basis to require an equitable
A separate order will be entered conforming to this memorandum decision.