CANADIAN CASES on the LAW of INSURANCE Fifth Series/Cinqui`Eme S´Erie Recueil De Jurisprudence En Droit Des Assurances
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CANADIAN CASES ON THE LAW OF INSURANCE Fifth Series/Cinqui`eme s´erie Recueil de jurisprudence en droit des assurances VOLUME 18 (Cited 18 C.C.L.I. (5th)) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/REDACTEUR´ EN CHEF Won J. Kim, B.A., LL.B. Kim Orr Barristers P.C. Toronto, Ontario QUEBEC EDITOR/REDACTEUR´ POUR LE QUEBEC´ Jean-Fran¸cois Lamoureux, LL.L. Robinson Sheppard Shapiro Montr´eal, Qu´ebec CARSWELL EDITORIAL STAFF/REDACTION´ DE CARSWELL Cheryl L. McPherson, B.A.(HONS.) Director, Primary Content Operations Ken Murphy, B.A.(HONS.), LL.B. Product Development Manager Nicole Ross, B.A., LL.B. Mike MacInnes, B.A.(HONS.), LL.B. (Acting) Supervisor, Legal Writing Lead Legal Writer Jocelyn Cleary, B.A.(HONS.), LL.B. Stephanie Hanna, B.A., M.A., LL.B. Senior Legal Writer Senior Legal Writer Lisa Rao, B.SC., LL.B. Amanda Stewart, B.A.(HONS.), LL.B. Senior Legal Writer Senior Legal Writer Andrea Toews, B.A., LL.B., LL.M. Martin-Fran¸cois Parent, LL.B., Legal Writer LL.M., DEA (PARIS II) Bilingual Legal Writer Heather Niziol, B.A. Content Editor CANADIAN CASES ON THE LAW OF INSURANCE, a national series of Recueil de jurisprudence canadienne en droit des assurances, une s´erie topical law reports, is published 12 times per year. Subscription rate $382.00 nationale de recueils de jurisprudence sp´ecialis´ee, est publi´e 12 fois par an- per bound volume including parts. Indexed: Carswell’s Index to Canadian n´ee. L’abonnement est de 382 $ par volume reli´e incluant les fascicules. In- Legal Literature. dexation: Index a` la documentation juridique au Canada de Carswell. 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ISSN 0824-2585 ISBN 978-0-7798-4214-8 Printed in Canada by Thomson Reuters CARSWELL, A DIVISION OF THOMSON REUTERS CANADA LIMITED One Corporate Plaza Customer Relations 2075 Kennedy Road Toronto 1-416-609-3800 Toronto, Ontario Elsewhere in Canada/U.S. 1-800-387-5164 M1T 3V4 Fax 1-416-298-5082 www.carswell.com Contact www.carswell.com/contact Onex v. American Home Assurance 171 [Indexed as: Onex Corp. v. American Home Assurance Co.] Onex Corporation, Gerald W. Schwartz, Christopher A. Govan, Mark Hilson and Nigel Wright, Plaintiffs/Defendants by Counterclaim (Respondents/Cross-Appellants) and American Home Assurance Company, Brit Syndicates Ltd. (Lloyd’s Syndicate 2987), Heritage Managing Agency Limited (Lloyd’s Syndicate 3245), XL Insurance Company Limited, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Lloyd’s Underwriters Syndicates No. 2623, 0623, 0033 and AIG Europe (UK) Limited, and Houston Casualty Company, Defendants/Plaintiff by Counterclaim American Home (Respondents/Appellant/Respondent on Cross-Appeal) Ontario Court of Appeal Docket: CA C54076, C54123, C55034 2013 ONCA 117 D. O’Connor A.C.J.O., Janet Simmons, M. Rosenberg JJ.A. Heard: June 2, 2012 Judgment: February 25, 2013 Civil practice and procedure –––– Summary judgment — Availability of summary judgment — Miscellaneous –––– Respondent company was sued in state of Georgia, resulting from bankruptcy proceedings — Action settled for $9.25 million, with company incurring approximately $35 million in defence costs — Company brought action against appellant insurer, when insurer refused to reimburse company for their costs — Company claimed that they were to be reimbursed both under standard and excess policies — Both parties moved for summary judgment — On motion, it was found that company was not entitled to coverage under excess policy, as they had given notice under standard policy — Standard policy did not exclude type of defence that company needed, and in- surer was required to pay $15 million under this policy — Insurer appealed from findings of liability by motion judge — Company cross-appealed — Appeal al- lowed — Cross-appeal dismissed — Letter from insurance broker set out proper particulars to exclude coverage to company under standard policy — Insurer was allowed to amend pleadings, to take into account circumstances of changed policy limits — Claim was not excluded due to it being brought by litigation trust in Georgia — This litigation trust was not considered to be Georgia com- pany that was excluded under policy — Motion judge correctly interpreted ex- clusion policy, but insurer’s interpretation was also reasonable — Factual issues could not be resolved at this stage — Reasonable expectations of parties had to be determined at trial level — Trial court would have to determine whether in- 172 CANADIAN CASES ON THE LAW OF INSURANCE 18 C.C.L.I. (5th) surer was entitled to set-off — Matter was to be returned to Superior Court, with possibility of parties renewing motions for summary judgment. Insurance –––– Principles of interpretation