Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. Et Al. For Breach of Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. Et Al. For Breach of Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc
C. Venue........................................................................................................ 17
11
Los Angeles, California
11 INDEX OF EXHIBITS
Los Angeles, California
12
EXHIBIT A: Twin City/Hartford Private Choice Encore! Policy No. 00 KB
13 0231655-07.
14
EXHIBIT B: "Defendant Hartford Financial Products and Twin City Insurance
15 Company's Rule 7.1 Statement" filed on or about August 4, 2006 by
Twin City and HFP in the United States District Court for the
16
Western District of Texas (Austin Division), Civil No. A: 06-CV-
17 431 SS.
18
EXHIBIT C: Distributorship Agreement Dated December 27, 2007 Between ZX
19 Auto NA Inc. and ZX Auto North America Distribution Company,
and Thomason Auto Group LLC.
20
21 EXHIBIT D: Distributorship Agreement Dated December 28, 2007 Between ZX
Auto NA Inc. and ZX Auto North America Distribution Company,
22
and Shaffer Auto Holdings, LLC.
23
EXHIBIT E: Complaint entitled "Thomason Auto Group LLC, Plaintiff, v. Mario
24
R. Ferla, et al., Defendants, U.S.D.C., District of New Jersey, Civil
25 Action No. 2:08-cv-04143-JLL-CCC.
26
27
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach
of Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1
I. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
2 Plaintiffs Mario R. Ferla, Steve Saleen, Thomas Del Franco, Martin H. Karo, and
3 Jack Pitluk (collectively, "Plaintiffs") bring this diversity action under 28 U.S.C. §
4 1332(a) as insureds against Defendant Twin City Fire Insurance Company ("Twin City")
5 and Twin City's direct or indirect parent, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
6 ("Hartford"), to vindicate their rights under a Directors and Officers ("D&O") liability
7 insurance contract issued by Twin City. Plaintiffs claim, and Twin City and Hartford
8 dispute, that Plaintiffs are entitled to receive defense and indemnity coverage in a
9 lawsuit presently pending against them in the United States District Court, District of
10 New Jersey entitled Thomason Auto Group, LLC v. Mario R. Ferla, Jack Pitluk, Martin
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 H. Karo, Steve Saleen, Thomas Del Franco, Alex Miskov, Richard L. Kalika and
Los Angeles, California
18 A. Plaintiffs
12 an Indiana insurance corporation that is part of the The Hartford Financial Services
13 Group, Inc., and is authorized to do and does business in California. Twin City's
14 principal place of business is located at Hartford Plaza, Hartford, Connecticut 06115.
15 Twin City issued Hartford's Private Choice Encore! Policy No. KB 0231655-07 (the
16 "Policy") to Chamco which provides the Directors and Officers ("D&O") liability
17 coverage for Plaintiffs that is the subject of this lawsuit. (A true and correct copy of the
18 Policy is attached hereto as Exhibit A and fully incorporated herein by this reference.)
19 7. Defendant The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. ("Hartford") is a
20 Delaware corporation that provides insurance and financial services through its direct
21 and indirect subsidiaries, including Twin City. It maintains its principal place of
22 business at Hartford Plaza, Hartford, Connecticut 06115. Hartford Financial Products
23 ("HFP") is merely a Hartford division or underwriting unit that is not a direct or indirect
24 wholly-owned subsidiary of Hartford. (Attached hereto as Exhibit B is a true and
25 correct copy of "Defendant Hartford Financial Products and Twin City Insurance
26 Company's Rule 7.1 Statement" filed on or about August 4, 2006 by Twin City and HFP
27 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (Austin Division),
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Civil No. A: 06-CV-431 SS, in which Twin City and HFP certify that "Defendant
2 Hartford Financial Products is an underwriting unit of Hartford Financial Services
3 Group, Inc. a publicly traded corporation.") As stated on HFP's website, "Hartford
4 Financial Products (HFP) represents The Hartford's significant presence in the financial
5 and professional insurance markets. The Hartford is one of the largest providers of
6 Directors & Officers (D&O) . . . in the nation." (See
7 http://www.hfpinsurance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HFP/Page/HFP_LandingPage
8 &c=Page&cid=1199710091383HFP.) Accordingly, HFP has no juridical existence
9 (corporate or otherwise) separate, distinct and apart from Hartford, and HFP's actions
10 and omissions as alleged herein are Hartford's actions and omissions. HFP is located in
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 2 Park Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10016. (Hartford and HFP
Los Angeles, California
12 "The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG), one of the
13 nation's largest providers of management liability coverage, has just
14 introduced Private Choice Encore! Plus, a new suite of endorsements that
15 builds on its industry-leading Private Choice Encore! management liability
16 package policy to offer companies even more protection. The enhanced
17 endorsements are offered to middle market customers at no additional
18 premium. . . .' When we introduced Private Choice Encore! two years ago,
19 it quickly became an industry leader in protecting private companies
20 against management liability issues,' said Paul Sullivan, vice president at
23 clients, the choice remains easy with Plus. Whether the issue involves
26 Crime, producers know their clients are well protected.'" While the
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 provided by The Hartford companies . . . " -- as occurred in this case
2 through Hartford's subsidiary, Twin City -- Hartford and HFP in their
3 public pronouncements, marketing and representations made clear that the
4 Private Encore! D&O policy, such as the Twin City Policy at issue here,
5 was and is a Hartford product that was designed, marketed, underwritten
6 and claims-adjusted by Hartford and HFP.
7 d) Potential insureds in California (and nationwide) are invited to apply for
8 Private Choice Encore! D&O policies directly through HFP's official
9 Hartford website,
10 http://www.hfpinsurance.com/onlineapps/applications/PE00H00103_finale
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 x.pdf. Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege that Twin
Los Angeles, California
12 City does generate, market, issue, or sell any Twin City D&O insurance
13 policies, but only enters into D&O insurance contracts created, generated,
14 marketed, and issued by and through Hartford.
15 e) The first page of the Policy -- the "Policy Separator Page" -- which carries
16 the Hartford logo in large, bolded font over the name "Hartford Financial
17 Products," also in large, bolded font, states that the "Underwriter" is Dan
18 Astrosiglio. If a potential insured navigates HFP's website under the
19 subheading for the Private Choice Encore! policy, there is a "Guide me to
20 the right underwriter" button in the "Toolbar" section that, when one enters
21 the former zip code for Chamco (i.e., 07054), Mr. Astrosiglio name,
25 claims under the Twin City Policy, Hartford (and not Twin City) was
27
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 f) Item 9 of the Policy's Declarations (at page 3 of 3) specifies the "Address
2 For Notices To Insurer" -- (i) "For Claims other than Kidnap and
3 Ransom/Extortion," is "The Hartford, Claims Department, 2 Park Ave., 5th
4 Floor New York, New York 10016," and (ii) "For all notices other than
5 claims," is "The Hartford, Compliance Department, Hartford Financial
6 Products, 2 Park Ave., 5th Floor New York, New York 10016" (emphasis
7 added).
8 g) The Declarations for the Kidnap and Ransom/Extortion Coverage Part of
9 the Policy similarly require condition-precedent notices to be given to "The
10 Hartford, Attn: Joseph Coppolla, Hartford Financial Products, Claims
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 Department -- Middle Market, 2 Park Ave., 5th Floor New York, New
Los Angeles, California
23 concerns. [¶] There are several ways you can report your claim.
26 The Hartford
Claims Department
27 2 Park Avenue, 5th Floor
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 New York, NY 10016." (Emphasis added.)
This address is, not surprisingly, the same notice address provided in
2
Plaintiffs' Policy. (See
3
http://www.privatecompanyinsurance.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Page&cid=1
4
201874638788&noindex=true&nt_page_id=1201874638788&pagename=
5
HFP%2FPage%2FHFP_FullWidth.)
6
i) Almost all of the Policy's Endorsements bear the photocopy of the
7
signature of "David Zweiner, President," who (Plaintiffs are informed and
8
believe) was the President of HFP and a Hartford Board member at all
9
relevant times, but was not an officer or Board member of Twin City.
10
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
j) The coverage denial letter dated April 30, 2008, sent to Plaintiffs regarding
11
Los Angeles, California
the "Thomason State Action" and "Ferla Action" both filed on March 3,
12
2008 (as defined in Paragraphs 37 through 39, below, and which are
13
interrelated claim with the claims asserted in the Thomason Federal Action)
14
was issued by a Hartford "Claims Consultant" on "The Hartford" with logo
15
official stationery from HFP' s New York offices at 2 Park Avenue, New
16
York, NY 10016.
17
k) The coverage denial letter dated May 29, 2008, sent to Plaintiffs regarding
18
the "Daspin Action" filed March 31, 2008 (as defined in Paragraph 40,
19
below, and which is an interrelated claim with the claims asserted in the
20
Thomason Federal Action) also was issued by a Hartford "Claims
21
Consultant" on "The Hartford" (with logo) official stationery from
22
"Hartford Financial Products, 2 Park Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, NY
23
10016, www.thehartford.com."
24
l) With respect to the Thomason Federal Action filed on August 14, 2008, the
25
first coverage denial letter dated September 4, 2008, the second coverage
26
denial letter dated April 21, 2009, and the final coverage denial letter dated
27
April 24, 2009 (peremptorily sweeping aside Plaintiffs' appeal of Hartford's
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 coverage denials), also all were by a Hartford "Claims Consultant" on "The
2 Hartford" (with logo) official stationery from HFP' s New York offices at 2
3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016.
4 m) On its official company website, Hartford refers to itself and its many
5 subsidiaries, including Twin City, collectively as "The Hartford." By
6 making its imprint and imprimatur on every key aspect of the Policy, by
7 holding out and using its representatives as the insured's contacts with
8 respect to claims under the Policy, and by using its personnel to adjust
9 claims made under the Policy, Hartford is estopped from denying that it is
10 equally responsible with Twin City in fulfilling the Policy's promises.
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 has submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), in federal court
13 filings in California (wherein it is seeking dismissal from claims or other relief on the
14 purported grounds that it is merely a "holding company" that does no business in this
15 forum), and in its other public pronouncements that it is merely "a holding company that
16 is separate and distinct from its subsidiaries" and that it supposedly "has no significant
17 business operations of its own," this assertion is demonstrably false. Hartford: (i)
18 through its HFP division and marketing arm crafts, generates, markets, disseminates,
19 and underwrites the Private Choice Encore! D&O policies that are sold to and/or purport
20 to cover insureds residing or located in California and other states -- such as the Policy
21 at issue here; (ii) chooses, by unopposed diktat (either through HFP or Hartford
22 authorized agents and brokers), which of its subsidiaries, such as Twin City, it will
23 deem appropriate in its discretion to insert as the named "Insurer" in its D&O insurance
24 forms it disseminates, markets, underwrites and sells in California and nationwide; and
25 (iii) through HFP's Claims Department, makes the coverage decisions on claims
26 asserted by its California insureds under its Private Choice Encore! D&O policies that
27 are supposedly issued by Twin City or other Hartford subsidiaries named as "Insurer"
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 which Hartford claims are "separate and distinct" from it. This is not conduct
2 consistent with a holding company's purported limited states as an "investor" in the
3 shares of its subsidiaries, and goes far beyond that mere monitoring of Twin City's
4 performance, supervision its finance and capital budget decisions, or the articulation of
5 general policies and procedures. Hartford, through HFP, has usurped Twin City's most
6 central day-to-day function as an insurance company: the determination of which
7 claims it will pay and which ones it will deny.
8 10. HFP is not a third party provider of claims adjustment services. The claims
9 adjustment process and coverage analyses and determinations made by Hartford,
10 through its HFP underwriting unit, are not mere recommendations to Twin City but
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 instead operate and are treated as binding instructions and commands. These services
Los Angeles, California
12 are at the core of the business of insurance. Plaintiff alleges that the claims
13 investigation, processing and handling -- which HFP undertook here with respect to
14 Twin City's California insureds -- are inextricably wound up with the business of an
15 insurance company, because the settlement of claims is an integral and crucial aspect of
16 the business of insurance. Yet Plaintiffs are informed and believe and thereon allege
17 that Hartford -- as a Delaware holding company -- is not licensed or regulated as an
18 insurance company in California; Hartford is admitted or qualified to engage in the
19 business of insurance in California (or any other state); nor has it registered to do
20 business in this jurisdiction with the California Secretary of State, as required by law;
21 nor has it properly designated and appointed any agent for service of process or any
22 agent or other representative to do business in this jurisdiction on its behalf, even though
23 it knows full well that California residents and citizens (such as Plaintiffs Ferla and
24 Saleen) are officers and directors who are its insureds under its Private Choice Encore!
25 D&O policies.
26 11. Plaintiffs do not know the true names and capacities of the Doe Defendants
27 1-10 and, therefore, sues such Defendants by such fictitious names. Each of the
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 fictitiously-named Defendants was responsible in some manner for the occurrences and
2 misconduct herein alleged, and that Plaintiffs' damages as herein alleged were
3 proximately caused by the conduct of such Defendants. The Doe Defendants 1-10 are
4 persons or entities who, directly or indirectly, participated in the transactions at issue
5 and aided and abetted and conspired to cause or caused the primary violations alleged
6 herein. These persons or entities proximately caused damages to Plaintiffs as alleged
7 herein, but Plaintiffs presently do not know their names and identities. Once the true
8 names and identities of such fictitious Defendants are discovered, Plaintiffs will seek
9 leave to amend this Complaint to assert the Doe Defendants’ true names, capacities and
10 conduct. Each of the Doe Defendants is liable for the harm suffered by Plaintiffs as set
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 forth herein, or their inclusion in this action is otherwise necessary for the granting for
Los Angeles, California
12 effective relief by this Court. (Defendants Twin City, Hartford, and Does 1 through 10
13 hereafter sometimes are referred to collectively as the " Defendants").
14 III. JURISDICTION AND VENUE
15 A. Diversity Jurisdiction
16 12. Diversity jurisdiction exists in this case under 28 U.S.C. § 1332, in that:
17 first, on the one hand, Defendant Twin City is incorporated and maintains its principal
18 place of business in Hartford Connecticut, and Defendant Hartford is incorporated in
19 Delaware and also maintains its principal place of business in Hartford, Connecticut,
20 and, therefore, the Hartford Defendants are "citizens" of Connecticut under 28 U.S.C. §
21 1332(a), whereas, on the other hand, each Plaintiff is domiciled in and is a "citizen" of a
22 state other than Connecticut (or Delaware or Indiana for that matter), i.e., Plaintiffs
23 Ferla and Saleen reside and are domiciled in California; Plaintiff Karo resides and is
24 domiciled in Pennsylvania; Plaintiff Pitluk resides and is domiciled in Michigan; and
25 Plaintiff Del Franco resides and is domiciled in New Jersey; and second, the matter in
26 controversy exceeds the sum of $75,000.
27
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 B. Personal Jurisdiction
2 13. Twin City: Defendant Twin City has submitted to personal jurisdiction in
3 California and the Central District of California ("Central District" or "District") for the
4 following reasons, among others:
5 a) Twin City does regular, systematic and continuous insurance business in
6 California and in the Central District.
7 b) The claims asserted herein specifically and directly arose in substantial part
8 from Twin City's business activities directed to and occurring in this
9 District, including but limited to its provision of insurance to Plaintiffs
10 Saleen and Ferla, who are domiciled and reside in this District , and its
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
23 California and the Central District (on information and belief) for the following reasons,
24 among others:
25 a) Hartford, through its HFP division and marketing arm crafts, generates,
27 policies that are sold to insureds in California and other states -- such as the
28
-11-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Policy at issue here. Because HFP is merely an unincorporated division of
2 Hartford -- its "underwriting unit" -- HFP does not possess the formal
3 separateness required to consider it to be an independent entity for
4 jurisdictional purposes. Accordingly, HPF's contacts with this forum are
5 attributable to Hartford, as there is no formal distinction between them.
6 b) Hartford chooses, by veritable dictat, which of its subsidiaries, such as
7 Twin City, it will deem appropriate to insert as the named "Insurer" in its
8 D&O insurance forms it disseminates, markets, underwrites and sells in
9 California and nationwide. The contacts of a subsidiary, such as Twin City,
10 may and should be considered for personal jurisdiction purposes when, as
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 here, Twin City has acted merely as an “agent” of Hartford, its parent, such
Los Angeles, California
22 for California insureds that gave rise to Plaintiffs' claims asserted herein.
24 single enterprise for jurisdictional purposes because the two entities are so
26 into court in this State. Not only do Hartford employees provide critical
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 company's, the two companies also exchange documents and records
2 between themselves, are operated primarily out of Hartford's Connecticut
3 main offices, and Twin City's key underwriting and claims coverage
4 determinations are made by Hartford (through its HFP underwriting unit).
5 e) Hartford markets, disseminates and sells its Private Choice Encore! D&O
6 policies in California and nationally as providing national D&O coverage
7 for insured officers and directors no matter where their liability claims arise,
8 in California and throughout the continental United States. This duty to
9 defend, combined with the territorial reach of the Policies into the United
10 States, makes apparent Hartford's agreement to appear in United States
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 the directors and officers of entities such as Chamco to which its Private
13 Choice Encore! D&O policies were marketed and sold would reside in,
14 and/or face covered claims arising in this forum. As such, it was
15 reasonably foreseeable to Hartford that it might be haled into court in
16 California, especially in light of the fact that the Policy provided for a duty
17 to defend Plaintiffs for potentially-covered damages occurring in this
18 jurisdiction.
19 f) As noted previously, at all relevant time potential insureds (such as
20 Plaintiffs) were and are invited to apply for Private Choice Encore! D&O
22 http://www.hfpinsurance.com/onlineapps/applications/PE00H00103_finale
23 x.pdf. The commercial nature of the website and its level of interactivity –
26 g) Hartford both underwrites and makes coverage decisions under its D&O
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 deriving income (indirectly via dividends up-streamed from the
2 subsidiaries it unilaterally -- through HFP or Harford authorized agents and
3 brokers) inserts as the "Insurer" in its form D&O policies) as a result of its
4 insurance contracts covering California residents, and also (ii) increasing
5 its profits and the profits of its subsidiaries such as Twin City by
6 minimizing their and its costs through the wrongful denial of the claims of
7 its insureds at the behest of the Claims Department at its HFP division in
8 New York, which Hartford controls.
9 h) By making its coverage denial decisions through its HFB division, which
10 decisions were made in bad faith and in a manner that tortiously interfered
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 with Plaintiffs' rights and benefits under the Twin City Policy, Hartford
Los Angeles, California
12 engaged in wrongful conduct that was not privileged but instead was
13 motivated by an illegal design to obtain in bad faith unwarranted premium
14 windfalls and to reduce claims costs through the tortious interference with
15 Twin City's contract with Plaintiffs. It was foreseeable that Hartford's bad
16 faith would cause substantial harm to its Twin City insureds in California.
17 i) On information and belief, Plaintiffs further allege that Hartford, through
18 HFP, has engaged in pattern and practice of wrongful denial of claims
19 tendered to Twin City and to its other subsidiaries it places (directly or
20 indirectly) into its Private Choice Encore! D&O policies as the nominally
21 named "Insurer." Hartford knows or is reckless in not knowing that its bad
22 faith claim decisions would have a direct and immediate harmful impact on
24 j) For these reasons, Plaintiffs also allege that Hartford effectively, but
26 it conducts the underwriting and claims adjustment functions for its hand-
27 picked subsidiaries such as Twin City that issue D&O policies providing
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 coverage for California residents for claims arising in California, and,
2 therefore, Hartford is intimately involved in activities that impact the
3 transferring or spreading a policyholder risk for California insureds , which
4 is an integral part of the policy relationship between the insurer (Twin City,
5 as the nominal "Insurer") and its insureds (e.g., California residents Ferla
6 and Saleen).
7 k) Plaintiffs are further informed and believe that Hartford's underwriting and
8 coverage analysis and related claims adjusting roles with respect to its
9 Private Choice Encore! D&O policies that cover California residents
10 constitute practices that are limited to and customarily only undertaken by
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
23 its Connecticut headquarters and its New York HFP division that have
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Encore! D&O policies may be applied for online at HFP's interactive
2 website that is available to potential California insureds. There is no
3 comparable website policy access provided by Twin City. For these and
4 other reasons, as previously alleged, Hartford cannot honestly assert that it
5 was or is unforeseeable that it would be haled into court in this forum as a
6 result of its bad faith conduct directed to and harming individuals and
7 entitites who reside and do business in this forum.
8 m) The subjection of Hartford to personal jurisdiction in this District also is
9 reasonable. The State Court Actions (discussed at Paragraphs 36 through
10 40 below) have been transferred from New Jersey to the United States
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 District Court for the Central District of California and, therefore, because
Los Angeles, California
21 denied coverage for D&O defense and indemnity costs that covered
23 this District in the State Court Actions pending in the United States
26 appropriate forum for adjudicating this action because the State Court
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 bankruptcy cases (as discussed in Paragraph 41, below). The federal
2 judicial system as a whole benefits when a series of cases arising from or
3 related to the same core of operative facts are administered and adjudicated
4 in a single forum. Therefore, judicial economy as well as the convenience
5 of the plaintiffs and other witnesses support the reasonableness of the
6 assertion of personal jurisdiction over Hartford in this District. Hartford
7 has incontestably sufficient resources to defend against Plaintiffs' claims in
8 this District.
9 C. Venue
10 15. Venue is properly laid in the Central District of California under 28 U.S.C.
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 1391(a)(2) because a substantial part of the events giving rise to the claims asserted
Los Angeles, California
12 herein took place in the Central District, in that: (a) Plaintiff Ferla's office as CEO of
13 Chamco, a primary named insured herein (as discussed below) at all relevant times was
14 located in the Central District; (b) Plaintiff Saleen’s office as CEO of ZXNA, the other
15 primary named insured herein (as discussed below) at all relevant times was located in
16 the Central District; (c) at all relevant times four Chamco/ZXNA Directors resided in
17 the Central District and worked on Chamco/ZXNA matters from ZXNA’s offices in the
18 Central District; (d) ZXNA carried on the bulk of its business in the Central District;
19 and (e) the facts and circumstances giving rise to the Thomason Federal and State
20 Actions -- which Plaintiffs assert triggers Twin City's defense and indemnity obligations
21 under the Twin City Policy at issue (as described below) -- occurred in substantial part
22 in the Central District.
23 IV. AGENCY, ALTER EGO, AND JOINT VENTURE/ENTERPISE
LIABILITY ALLEGATIONS
24
16. Each of the Defendants was an agent, partner, joint venturer, co-conspirator
25
or alter ego of each of the remaining Defendants and, in doing the acts hereinafter
26
alleged, was acting within the scope of its authority as such and with the permission and
27
consent of each of the remaining Defendants.
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 17. Every Defendant, and each of them, instigated, encouraged, promoted,
2 aided and abetted, and/or rendered substantial assistance to the wrongdoing alleged
3 herein, with knowledge of the wrong and the role that each Defendant played in it.
4 Every Defendant, and each of them, conspired to commit that wrongdoing which is
5 alleged herein to have been intentional, with knowledge of the wrongful purpose of the
6 wrongdoing, by and in contravention of their duties, actively participating in the
7 wrongdoing, failing to stop or prevent the wrongdoing from occurring or continuing,
8 and/or actively participating in the concealment and non-disclosure of the wrongdoing,
9 as alleged with greater particularity in the Paragraphs 18 and 19, below.
10 A. Principal/Agent Liability
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 18. Twin City should be considered to be, and at all relevant times herein acted
Los Angeles, California
12 as, Hartford's agent with respect to the matters alleged herein, for the following reasons,
13 among others:
14 a) Hartford (through HFP or its authorized agents and brokers) unilaterally
15 chooses which of its subsidiaries it wishes to insert as the named "Insurer"
16 in its Private Choice Encore! D&O policies that cover insureds residing in
17 California for claims arising in whole or in part from California-centric
18 activities; and Hartford followed that very business practice in this case,
19 inserting Twin City as the "Insurer" in the Policy providing D&O coverage
20 for Plaintiffs.
21 b) Hartford, through the Claims Department of its HFP division in New York
22 -- but not through Plaintiffs' named "Insurer," Twin City -- makes the
23 actual coverage decisions for claims asserted by California insureds such as
24 Plaintiffs Ferla and Saleen and, on information and belief, also unilaterally
25 makes the initial underwriting decision to issue the Policy in the first place.
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 implemented through (among other D&O policies) the Private Choice
2 Encore! D&O policies that HFP markets, disseminates and sells to
3 California residents and other individuals and entities residing and/or doing
4 business in this State, and/or whose claims are likely to arise in this State.
5 d) Hartford's instruction and command to Twin City to be the named "Insurer"
6 on the Policy issued to Plaintiffs and thereby to contract with Plaintiffs,
7 constituted a manifestation by Hartford that Twin City would act on
8 Hartford's behalf; Twin City accepted and consented to so act, by
9 acquiescing to Hartford's command to be listed as the named "Insurer" in
10 the Policy issued to Plaintiffs and by entering into a contract with Plaintiffs
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 thereby; and both Hartford and Twin City fully understood that Hartford
Los Angeles, California
23 f) While at all relevant times Hartford falsely held and continues to hold itself
27 is critical to its own income stream, and uses Twin City (and other if its
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 subsidiaries) to assist its own business in that regard. To that end, Hartford
2 controls these critical internal affairs of Twin City, and determines how
3 Twin City will be operated with respect to these critical internal affairs in
4 addition to other key operational matters on a day-to-day basis.
5 g) The de facto and de jure agency relationship between Hartford, as principal,
6 and Twin City, as agent, with respect to the matters alleged herein, is
7 further supported by the pro-forma and standard use by Twin City of a
8 Hartford policy form -- i.e., Hartford's Private Choice Encore! D&O policy
9 -- that is replete with references to Hartford and its executives and agents
10 throughout the form, and that only lists Twin City as the named "Insurer"
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 in blanks filled in on the first page of the Policy's Declarations and on its
Los Angeles, California
12 endorsements. While Twin City acted as the nominal issuing "Insurer," the
13 very form and structure of the Policy, and the repeated indicia of Hartford
14 dominance and control throughout the Policy-- including HFP's President's
15 signature on the Policy's Endorsements, and HFP claim representatives
16 designated as the official recipients of an insured's notice of any claims
17 under the Policy -- make clear that Hartford, not Twin City, is the principal
18 in control of Twin City's performance of the Policy's promises and
19 obligations.
B. Alter Ego/Joint Venture/Enterprise Liability
20
21 19. Twin City is and should be deemed Hartford's alter ego, with both Hartford
22 and Twin City engaging in a joint and common enterprise or joint venture, for the
23 following reasons, among others:
24 a) Hartford effectively chooses and directs Twin City and other of its
28
-20-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 decisions itself under its Private Choice Encore! D&O policies nominally
2 issued by Twin City, with no control or veto power vested in Twin City
3 with respect to those decisions.
4 c) Hartford provides key marketing, sales, administrative services and support,
5 and financial management for Twin City from Hartford's main offices in
6 Hartford, Connecticut and claims decisions from its HFP division in New
7 York. Plaintiffs are informed and believe, further, that there exists an
8 identical equitable ownership in the two entities, in addition to the use of
9 the same offices and employees, officers, and directors.
10 o) Hartford shares profits and losses with Twin City from these joint and
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
21 Twin City will derive from such policies. By choosing which D&O claims
22 it will honor or reject, Hartford effectively controls the claim costs that
23 Twin City will incur for claims made by its insureds under such policies.
24 d) For these reasons, among others, Hartford used and uses Twin City as a
25 mere shell or conduit for its D&O insurance business directed to and
26 derived from its insureds under Hartford's Private Choice Encore! D&O
27 policies in California (and other states). If Twin City's acts and omissions
28
-21-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 were treated as its alone, a manifestly inequitable result would follow.
2 V. PLAINTIFFS' TWIN CITY INSURANCE COVERAGE
3 20. Twin City issued the Policy to Chamco as the first named insured (the
4 "Named Entity" on Item 1 of the first page of the Policy's Declarations [PE 00 H002 02
5 1204]), for the policy period of May 12, 2007 to May 12, 2008. The Policy includes a
6 "Coverage Part" for "Directors, Officers, and Entity Liability" (the "D&O Coverage
7 Part"), proving for D&O defense and indemnity coverage for Chamco's officers and
8 directors, such as Plaintiffs, subject to any applicable exclusions. The Policy has a limit
9 of liability of $5 million in the aggregate, and is subject to a self-insured retention of
10 $50,000 (PE 00 H013 00 0502).
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 21. The Policy contains the following pertinent provisions in Section II of the
Los Angeles, California
26 Insureds.
27 * * *
28
-22-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 (I) "Insured Entity" means:
2 (1) the Named Entity; or
3 (2) any Subsidiary.
4 * * *
5 (J) "Insured Person" shall have the meaning specified for such term in
6 each Coverage Part.
7 (K) "Insureds" shall have the meaning specified for such term in each
8 Coverage Part.
9 (L) "Interrelated Wrongful Acts" means Wrongful Acts that have as a
10 common nexus any fact, circumstance, situation, event, transaction,
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
22 Insured Entity;
24 * * *
26 Declarations.
27 * * *
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 (T) "Subsidiary" means any:
2 (1) corporation in which and so long as the Named Entity owns
3 or controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the
4 outstanding securities representing the right to vote for the
5 election of the board of directors of such corporation;
6 (2) limited liability company in which and so long as the Named
7 Entity owns or controls, directly or indirectly, the right to
8 elect, appoint or designate more than 50% of such entity's
9 managers;
10 (3) corporation operated as a joint venture in which and so long as
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
22 (A) The Insurer shall have the right and duty to defend any Claim for
23 which the Insureds give notice to the Insurer, even if such Claim is
26 (B) The Insurer's duty to defend any Claim shall cease upon exhaustion
28
-24-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 23. Section VIII of the Policy, entitled "Notice of Claim," contains the
2 following pertinent provisions:
3 "NOTICE OF CLAIM
4 Solely with respect to all Liability Coverage Parts:
5 (A) As a condition precedent to coverage under this Policy, the Insureds
6 shall give the Insurer written notice of any Claim as soon as
7 practicable, provided that such notice shall be given not later than
8 sixty (60) days after any Manager becomes aware that such Claim
9 has been made. Such notice shall specify the Coverage Part under
10 which notice is being given.
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 (B) If, during the Policy Period, the Insureds become aware of a
Los Angeles, California
23 follows:
24 "INTERRELATIONSHIP OF CLAIMS
26 All Claims based upon, arising from or in any way related to the same
28
-25-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 single Claim first made on the earliest date that:
2 (A) any of such Claims was first made, regardless of whether such date
3 is before or during the Policy Period;
4 (B) notice of any Wrongful Act described above was given to the
5 Insurer under this Policy pursuant to Section VIII. NOTICE OF
6 CLAIM (B); or
7 (C) notice of any Wrongful Act described above was given under any
8 prior insurance policy."
9 25. Section II of the D&O Coverage Part of the Policy, entitled "Definitions,"
10 contains the following pertinent provisions:
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
22 * * *
23 (I) "Loss" means the amount that the Insureds are legally obligated to
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 by law. Regarding the insurability of such damages, the Insurer shall
2 not contend for any reason, unless appropriate to do so as a matter of
3 law or public policy, that such damages are uninsurable. The
4 insurability of such damages shall be governed by the laws of any
5 applicable jurisdiction that permits coverage of such damages."
6 * * *
7 (L) "Wrongful Act" means any actual or alleged:
8 (1) error, misstatement, misleading statement, act, omission, neglect or
9 breach of duty . . ."
10 26. Section IV of the D&O Coverage part of the Policy, entitled "Exclusions
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
24 28. Endorsement 2 to the Policy adds (among other entities not pertinent here)
11 about December 2007, ZXNA signed a distribution company investment agreement (the
Los Angeles, California
12 "Shaffer Agreement") with Shaffer Auto Group, LLC ("Shaffer"). (A true and correct
13 copy of the Shaffer Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit D and fully incorporated
14 herein by this reference.) The Shaffer Agreement provided, at § 2.1[a] at page 3, that
15 Shaffer agreed to pay $7.5 Million to ZXNA for a 22% share of ZX Auto West, to be
16 handled as a silent partner investment; Shaffer had no active duties, although it had the
17 right to appoint one of the five “managing members” of the ZX Auto West Board. ZX
18 Auto West was supposed to immediately issue to Shaffer Auto Group 220 (22%) of the
19 total one thousand (1000) Membership Units.
20 33. However, ZX Auto West was never formed as a Delaware Limited
21 Liability Company, and, therefore, never could or did issue any Membership Units
22 either to Thomason, Shaffer, ZXNA or any to other investor because ZX Auto West
23 never had any legal existence as a Delaware Limited Liability Company, much less
24 conducted any business of any kind whatsoever as such. ZX Auto West instead merely
25 remained an inchoate concept as part of a stillborn plan that was never realized under an
26 executory contract -- the Thomason Distributorship Agreement -- which was never fully
27 performed. Nor (Plaintiffs are informed and believe) did any other Chamco or ZXNA
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Limited Liability Company ever issue any actual membership units or interests to
2 Thomason at any time.
3 34. If ZX Auto West had ever been properly and fully formed as a Limited
4 Liability Company under Delaware law as originally contemplated under the Thomason
5 Distributorship Agreement; if ZX Auto West had ever issued membership units to
6 Thomason, Shaffer and ZXNA once it was properly formed as a Delaware Limited
7 Liaibility Company; and if ZX Auto West had actually commenced business thereafter,
8 then, under those circumstances which never came to pass, the Thomason
9 Distributorship Agreement provided, among other things, that:
10 "2.5 THOMASON shall be in charge of the day-to-day management of
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 ZXAUTO WEST.
Los Angeles, California
25 Distributorship Agreement were never implemented; no Member Units ever issued and
26 no Member Unit holder ever existed; ZXNA never appointed any managing members;
27 and no other managers were ever installed by Thomason, nor did any management
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 activities ever take place, because ZX Auto West was never formed or operated as a
2 Delaware Limited Liability Company or otherwise. Nor (Plaintiffs are informed and
3 believe) did ZXNA or Thomason ever obtain any membership units, appoint any
4 managers, or otherwise manage or control any other Chamco Limited Liability
5 Company.
6 D. The New Jersey State Court Actions
7 36. After serveral months of operations, the senior officers and directors of
8 both Chamco and ZXNA broke into two hostile camps, each accusing the other of
9 serious financial improprieties and fiduciary breaches, among other misconduct.
10 37. On the morning of March 3, 2008, Thomason filed an action in the New
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 Jersey State Court, Docket No. MRS-C-27-08, against Chamco, ZXNA, the Daspin
Los Angeles, California
12 Defendants, and several other individuals and entities alleging the following claims: (1)
13 Fraud in the Inducement; (2) Unjust Enrichment; (3) Conversion; and (4) Constructive
14 Trust (the "Thomason State Action"). In the Thomason State Action, Thomason makes
15 claims against ZXNA and Chamco seeking, among other things, rescission of the
16 Thomason Distribution Agreement on the ground that Thomason's $6 million payment
17 to ZXNA was procured by fraud.
18 38. Later in the day on March 3, 2008, Plaintiffs and three other individuals,
19 individually and derivatively on Chamco's behalf, filed an action in New Jersey
20 Superior Court of Morris County: Chancery Division (the "New Jersey State Court") ,
21 Docket No. MRS-C-28-08, against Edward Michael Daspin ("Daspin"), Joan Daspin,
22 William L. Pollack, Sam Tropello, Ronald A. Stella, Bradford Shaffer, Michelle
23 Shaffer, the 1st Capital Corporation, Capital Corporation of America a/k/a Capital
24 Corporation a/k/a Capcorp, Daspin & Co. Merchant Bank Holding Co., Property
25 Development Group, LLC a/k/a Properties Development Group, LLC (collectively,
26 "Daspin Defendants") alleging the following claims: (1) Derivative Claim; (2)
27 Shareholder Oppression; (3) Fraud; (4) Constructive Fraud; (5) Breach of Fiduciary
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Duty; (6) Breach of Contract; (7) Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair
2 Dealing; (8) Conversion; (9) Abuse of Control; (10) Gross Mismanagement; (11)
3 Corporate Waste; (12) Failure to Provide Books and Records; (13) Accounting; (14)
4 Rescission of Stock Grants; (15) Unjust Enrichment; and (16) Constructive Fraud (the
5 "Saleen Action").
6 39. On March 31, 2008, certain Daspin Defendants, allegedly also on behalf of
7 Chamco and ZXNA, caused to be filed a retaliatory action in the New Jersey Court
8 Docket No. MRS-C-47-08, against Plaintiffs, Thomason, and other inviduals and
9 entities alleging the following claims: (1) Fraud; (2) Constructive Fraud; (3) Breach of
10 Fiduciary Duty; (4) Breach of Contract; (5) Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 and Fair Dealing; (6) Conversion; (7) Tortious Interference with Prospective Economic
Los Angeles, California
12 Advantage; (8) Abuse of Control; (9) Accounting; (10) Tortious Interference with
13 Contract; (11) Violation of Common Law Duty of Loyalty; (12) Conspiracy; (13)
14 Statutory and Common Law Unfair Competition; (14) Violation of New Jersey Business
15 and Corporations Act; (15) Federal Unfair Competition; (16) Federal Dilution; (17)
16 Federal Cyber-Squatting; (18) Breach of Duty of Loyalty; (19) Constructive Trust; (20)
17 Unjust Enrichment; and (21) Self-Dealing (the "Daspin Action").
18 40. The Thomason State Action, Saleen Action, and Daspin Action are
19 sometimes collectively referred to as the "State Court Actions." The State Court
20 Actions were consolidated under Case No. MRS-C-27-08 in the New Jersey Court.The
21 State Court Actions were consolidated under Case No. MRS-C-27-08 in the New Jersey
22 Court.
23 E. The ZXNA And Chamco Bankruptcy Filings
42. On August 14, 2008, Thomason filed a complaint against Plaintiffs in the
11
Los Angeles, California
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (Case No. 2:2008-CV-04143-
12
JLL-CCC ). The Thomason Federal Action asserts purported claims against Plaintiffs
13
under the Federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO"), 18
14
U.S.C. § 1962(c) [Counts I & II]; 18 U.S.C. § 1962(d) [Count III]; tortious interference
15
with prospective business relations [Count IV]; fraud in the inducement [Count V];
16
unjust enrichment [Count VI]; conversion [Count VII]; common law fraud [Count VIII];
17
intentional misrepresentation [Count IX]; negligent misrepresentation [Count X];
18
equitable fraud [Count XI]; aiding and abetting the commission of a tort [Count XII];
19
conspiracy to commit a tort [Count XIII]; breach of fiduciary duty [Count XIV]; and
20
constructive trust [Count XV]. (A true and correct copy of the complaint in the
21
Thomason Federal Action is attached hereto as Exhibit E and fully incorporated herein
22
by this reference.)
23 VII. SUMMARY OF THE PARTIES' COVERAGE DISPUTE
24 A. The Thomason Federal Action Alleges Covered Claims Under The
25 Twin City Policy
12 ¶¶ 318 & 321.) The Thomason Federal Action therefore constitutes a "Claim" and
13 "Injured Person Claim" for a "Wrongful Act" and "Interrelated Wrongful Act" within
14 the defined meaning of those terms in the Twin City Policy.
15 45. The facts and circumstances giving rise to the claims asserted in the
16 Thomason Federal Action also gave rise to the State Court Actions. Therefore, the
17 "Claim" in the Thomason Federal Action arises from an "Interrelated Wrongful Act" as
18 defined in Section II(L) of the Policy.
19 46. Each of the Plaintiffs here falls within the definition of "Manager" under
20 the Policy because each Plaintiff at all relevant times was an officer and/or director of
21 Chamco and/or ZXNA, which are both a "Named Entity" under Item 1 of the Policy's
22 Declarations.
23 47. A "Loss" and "Defense Costs" include attorneys' fees and costs incurred to
24 defend against a "Claim" -- which Plaintiffs have incurred in defending against the
25 "Claims" and "Injured Person Claims" asserted against them in the Thomason Federal
26 Action.
27
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 B. Twin City Received Proper And Timely Notice Of The Covered Claims
2 48. Although the Thomason Federal Action was filed and served on August 14,
3 2008 -- after the May 12, 2008 expiration of the Policy's policy period -- notice of the
4 Thomason Federal Action "Claim" was still timely given to Twin City, as Twin City has
5 acknowledged in writing. The notice of the pendency of the three State Court Actions
6 was timely provided to Twin City during the applicable policy period. The State Court
7 Actions and the Thomason Federal Action all arise from and relate to the same
8 "Wrongful Acts" or "Interrelated Wrongful Acts" as defined in the Policy. Accordingly,
9 under Section X of the Policy, entitled "Interrelationship of Claims," the "Claims"
10 asserted in the Thomason Federal Action and in the State Court Actions are deemed to
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 be a single "Claim" first made on the earliest date any of such "Claims" were made
Los Angeles, California
12 (which occured during the policy period), so long as notice of any such "Wrongful Act"
13 or "Interrelated Wrongful Act" was given during the policy period (which occurred
14 here, as Twin City itself has admitted in its September 4, 2008 coverage denial letter
15 discussed below). Twin City received proper and timely notice of the "Claims" arising
16 from "Wrongful Acts" or "Interrelated Wrongful Acts" as asserted in the Thomason
17 Federal Action because Plaintiffs provided notice of those "Claims" to Twin City within
18 60 days of their becoming aware of the Thomason Federal Action, and the same alleged
19 "Wrongful Acts" and "Interrelated Wrongful Acts" gave rise to the "Claims" asserted in
20 the State Court Actions for which notice was properly and timely given during the
21 applicable policy period.
22 C. Twin City Has Wrongfully Denied And Breached Its Coverage
Obligations
23
49. Twin City denied coverage of the Thomason State Action, filed on March
24
3, 2008 (and also the Saleen Action) by letter dated April 30, 2008, alleging that the
25
insured vs. insured exclusion in the Policy was applicable. Twin City denied coverage
26
of the Daspin Action (filed on March 31, 2008) by letter dated May 29, 2008, alleging
27
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 that the insured vs. insured exclusion in the Policy (at § IV(F) of the D&O Coverage
2 Part) was applicable.
3 50. Twin City subsequently also denied coverage of the Thomason Federal
4 Action (filed on August 14, 2008) by letter dated September 4, 2008, alleging that the
5 insured vs. insured exclusion in the Policy (at § IV(F) of the D&O Coverage Part) was
6 applicable, as reiterated by a subsequent coverage denial letter dated April 24, 2009.
7 51. In particular, Twin City asserted and continues to assert that coverage for
8 the Thomason Federal Action is excluded pursuant to Endorsement No. 1 of the Policy,
9 on two primary grounds:
10 First, Twin City asserts that ZX Auto West is a "Subsidiary" of ZXNA,
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 supposedly was able to appoint three out of the five "Managing Members" of ZX Auto
13 West under Section 2.5[a] of the Thomason Distributorship Agreement; and
14 Second, the Thomason Distributorship Agreement provides that Thomason
15 is the owner of a 28% interest in ZX Auto West -- whereas Endorsement No. 1 provides
16 that "The Insurer shall not pay Loss for any Claim: By or on behalf of any over of 5%
17 or more of the outstanding securities of an Insured Entity, either directly or
18 beneficially. Therefore (Twin City claims), the insured-vs.-insured exclusion at Secton
19 IV(F) of the D&O Coverage Part applies because Thomason supposedly owns 5% or
20 more of the outstanding securities of an "Insured Entity," i.e., ZX Auto West (as a
21 "Subsidiary" of "Named Entity" ZXNA).
22 52. That Twin City's abandonment of Plaintiffs based upon its purported
23 coverage analysis was and is being undertaken in bad faith, without proper or
24 reasonable grounds, and with intentional or reckless disregard of Plaintiffs' contractual
25 and statutory rights and interests, is demonstrated by the following five points (among
26 others):
27
28
-36-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 First, ZX Auto West was never formed as a Delaware Limited Liability
2 Company, ZX Auto West never existed and therefore could not be a "Subsidiary"
3 of ZXNA within the defined meaning of that term in the Policy, or for any other
4 reason. Nor did any other Chamco Limited Liaiblity Company ever issue any
5 Membership Units to Thomason, nor did he ever receive any. Nor did Thomason
6 ever control any any other Chamco or ZXNA-created Limited Liability Company
7 or subsidiary.
8 Second, ZXNA did not have the power to choose 50% or more of the
9 "managers" of ZX Auto West (if it had ever been formed). Plaintiffs allege and
10 contend, and so informed Hartford, that the term "managers" encompasses not
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 Agreement, but also includes ZX Auto West's operational managers, such as the
13 Chief Executive Officer to be chosen by Thomason under Section 3.11 of the
14 Thomason Distributorship Agreement, and other managers Thomason may have
15 chosen as the Managing Member "in charge of the day-to-day management of
16 ZXAUTO WEST." (Thomason Distributorship Agreement § 2.5.) Further, if
17 there were any ambiguity on this point -- and there is none -- it should be resolved
18 in Plaintiffs' favor -- particularly with regard to Defendants' primary defense
19 obligation to Plaintiffs.
20 Third, because ZX Auto West was never formed as a Delaware Limited
21 Liability Company, ZX Auto West never issued any membership interests to
22 Thomason or anyone else. The ZX Auto West Membership Units were not
23 "outstanding securities" within the meaning of Policy Endorsement No. 1,
24 because they never issued and therefore could not be and never were
25 "outstanding." Nor did any other Chamco or ZXNA-created Limited Liability
26 Company ever issue any membership units to Thomason which give him 5% of
27 such units, or otherwise.
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Fourth, the Thomason Distributorship Agreement provided for Thomason:
2 (i) to be responsible for ZX Auto West's day-to-day management (§ 2.5); (ii) to
3 be appointed as a "Managing Member" of ZX Auto West (§ 2.5[a]); (iii) to
4 provide ZX Auto West with its management information systems technology and
5 computer systems "for all purposes" (§ 2.9[b]); and (iv) to provide ZX Auto West
6 "all vehicle, parts, service and repair, manufacturer, retailer, transportation,
7 manufacturing, sales and technical information in its possession (§ 2.9[a]). These
8 provisions demonstrate that ZX Auto West was supposed to be a "member
9 managed LLC" that was actively managed by its Managing Members (and other
10 subordinate managers appointed and supervised by Thomason); it was not
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 the LLC for the benefit of passive investors seeking to generate profit primarily if
13 not solely from the efforts of others.
14 Fifth, Thomason's Membership Units, if they had ever issued, would not
15 have been not freely saleable or transferable, but instead were highly restricted
16 under Sections 4.2 and 4.3 of the Thomason Distributorship Agreement.
17 53. As such, Thomason's LLC Membership Units were not and could not be
18 deemed "outstanding securities" because: (1) they never existed or were issued; (2)
19 Thomason itself was supposed be the primary manager of ZX Auto West's operations
20 and was not investing his money looking for a return on investment due solely or
21 primarily to efforts of others over whom he had no control; and (3) the Membership
22 Units were restricted to "Managing Members" that were highly-sophisticated entities
23 experienced in the automobile industry who were required to actively participate in the
24 management the company.
25 D. Twin City Has Breached Its Insurance Policy Wilfully And In Bad
Faith
26
54. D&O policies typically require a carrier to reimburse defense costs, but
27
Twin City's Policy here imposes a duty to defend commonly associated wtih
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 occurrence-based general liability policies. The Policy states (as Section VII) that Twin
2 City "shall have the right and duty to defend any Claim for which the Insureds give
3 notice to the Insurer, even if such Claim is groundless, false or fraudulent." In
4 handling, investigating and adjusting Plaintiffs' claims arising out of the Thomason
5 Federal Action, Twin City had a duty to defend its insureds as soon as it ascertained
6 facts, based upon the allegations of the Thomason Federal Action, that gave rise to the
7 mere potential or possibility of liability under the Policy. Before denying coverage,
8 Twin City was obligated to make a thorough, good faith, and diligent investigation and
9 inquiry, including seeking appropriate legal consultation, before determining that there
10 was no potential or possibility of coverage for the claims asserted against Plaintiffs in
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 the Thomason Federal Action. Twin City was obligated to resolve any doubt about the
Los Angeles, California
12 Defendants then made a superficial and cursory review of the Thomason Distributorship
13 Agreement, and denied coverage on the basis that Thomason supposedly owned 5% or
14 more of the "outstanding securities" of ZX Auto West, which they deemed to be a
15 "Subsidiary" of ZXNA. But Thomason did not own any "outstanding securities" of ZX
16 Auto West because ZX Auto West never was formed as a Delaware Limited Liaibility
17 Company -- a fact remarkably easy to verify simply by examining the official website of
18 the Delaware Secretary of State (which lists, on inquiry, Delaware LLCs). Moreover,
19 even if ZA Auto West had issued 28% of ZX Auto West's "Membership Units" to
20 Thomason, Twin City should have realized that such "Membership Units" -- which in
21 all events never issued -- would not and could not be deemed "securities" because the
22 Thomason Distributorship Agreement makes clear that ZA Auto West was supposed to
23 be a "member managed" LLC that was actively run and operated by Thomason in
24 consultation with the other "Managing Members." Twin City also adopted an
25 impermissibly narrow interpretation of the the word "manager" for purposes of the
26 manager-control definition of "Subsidiary" in the Policy, rather than considering the
27 actual references to and role of managers and their management activities as articulated
28
-40-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 in the Thomason Distributorship Agreement upon which Twin City purported to base its
2 negative coverage analysis. These examples, which are not exhaustive but only
3 illustrative, show the lengths to which Twin City was willing to go to shirk its coverage
4 responsibilities and deny Plaintiffs' claims in bad faith.
5 57. Thus, in handling, investigating and adjusting Plaintiffs' claims arising out
6 of the Thomason Federal Action, Twin City (and the Doe Defendants at Hartford's
7 behest) systematically, methodically and generally engaged in the following improper,
8 unfair and unreasonable claims practices directed at Plaintiffs:
9 a) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably withholding the benefits
10 Plaintiffs were entitled to receive;
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
25 but not limited to refusing to timely, promptly, and without delay, pay for
26 the reasonable and necessary defense costs incurred by Plaintiffs from the
28
-41-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 causing extreme hardship to Plaintiffs;
2 g) Failing to give Plaintiffs' interests at least as much consideration as its own
3 in evaluating the formers' tender of defense in the underlying actions;
4 h) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably failing to adopt and
5 implement reasonable standards for the prompt processing of Plaintiffs'
6 claim, all the while knowing and/or hoping that Plaintiffs would be unable
7 to pursue the full benefits of these insurance policies or would become
8 frustrated with pursuing the full benefits of the Policy and abandon their
9 claims;
10 i) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably refusing to attempt in good
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 faith to make a prompt, fair and equitable settlement of the claims against
Los Angeles, California
21 financially crippled so that they would not pursue the full benefits of the
22 insurance policies;
26 benefits; and
28
-42-
Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 denial of coverage despite their lack of reasonable or diligent investigation
2 and analysis regarding the bases for such coverage, and despite having
3 received from Plaintiffs information that established more than sufficient
4 grounds to conclude that coverage existed and continue to exist under the
5 Policy.
6 58. Defendants carried out the above-described actions with a conscious
7 disregard for Plaintiffs' rights and interests. These actions constitute conduct which is
8 despicable behavior executed with an intent to injure Plaintiffs, such as to constitute
9 oppression, fraud or malice under California Civil Code section 3294, entitling Plaintiffs
10 to punitive damages.
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 59. As a result of Twin City's bad faith denial of its coverage obligations to
Los Angeles, California
12 Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs have been forced to fund their own defense of the Thomason
13 Federal Action (and the State Court Actions), and, in doing so, have incurred crushing
14 costs and attorneys' fees far in excess of the $50,000 retention provided for in the
15 Policy.
16 VIII. CLAIMS FOR RELIEF
17 FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Against All Defendants For Breach of Contract [Failure to Defend])
18 60. Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate by reference all allegations contained in
19 Paragraphs 1 through 59 above as though fully set forth herein.
20 61. Twin City and the Doe Defendants, through the Policy, promised to defend
21 Plaintiffs against any lawsuit seeking damages or covered losses. The Thomason
22 Federal Action seeks to recover covered losses or damages against Plaintiffs. The
23 Thomason State Action imposed defense costs on Plaintiffs arising from a "Claim"
24 based on an alleged "Wrongful Act" or "Interrelated Wrongful Act".
25 62. Chamco and ZXNA paid significant premiums to Defendants to obtain
26 D&O defense and liability coverage for Plaintiffs, Chamco's officers and directors.
27 Plaintiffs provided proper notice to Twin City of the State Court Actions and the
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Thomason Federal Action, and in all other respects complied with each and every
2 obligation required to be performed under Twin City's Policy.
3 63. Despite Plaintiffs' complete performance, Defendants breached the terms of
4 the Policy by failing to provide Plaintiffs with a defense to the Thomason Federal
5 Action. Defendants have failed to pay any money toward Plaintiffs' defense despite the
6 contractual obligations under the Policy.
7 64. By virtue of its status as Twin City's principal, alter ego, and joint venturer
8 in a common (but illicit) enterprise to wrongfully deny defense and indemnity coverage
9 to its insureds in this jusdiction (and in other states), as more fully alleged in Paragraphs
10 16 through 19, above, Defendant Hartford also is responsible for Twin City's breach of
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 65. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants' total and material breach of
13 the Policy, Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to suffer reasonable, foreseeable
14 and ascertainable damages, including but not limited to defense fees and costs incurred
15 in defense of the Thomason Federal Action and any judgment or settlement of the
16 Thomason Federal Action.
17 SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Against All Defendants For Breach of Contract [Failure to Indemnify])
18 66. Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate by reference all allegations contained in
19 Paragraphs 1 through 59 above as though fully set forth herein.
20 67. Twin City and the Doe Defendants, through the Policy, promised to
21 indemnity Plaintiffs against any liability resulting from covered losses or damages,
22 including pursuing reasonable efforts to make a prompt, fair and equitable settlement of
23 the claims against Plaintiffs (subject to any applicable exclusions_, thereby relieving
24 Plaintiffs from the expense, annoyance and stigma attendant to the Thomason Federal
25 Action. The Thomason Federal Action seeks to impose liability on Plaintiffs for
26 covered losses or damages alleged caused to Thomason.
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 68. Chamco paid significant premiums to Defendants to obtain D&O defense
2 and liability coverage for Plaintiffs, Chamco's officers and directors. Plaintiffs provided
3 proper notice to Twin City of the State Court Actions and the Thomason Federal Action,
4 and in all other respects complied with each and every obligation required to be
5 performed under Twin City's Policy.
6 69. Despite Plaintiffs' complete performance, Defendants breached the terms of
7 the Policy by denying any indemnity obligation to Plaintiffs, and unjustifiably and
8 unreasonably refusing to attempt in good faith to make a prompt, fair and equitable
9 settlement of the claims against Plaintiffs.
10 70. By virtue of its status as Twin City's principal, alter ego, and joint venturer
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 insureds in this jusdiction (and in other states), as more fully alleged in Paragraphs 16
13 through 19, above, Defendant Hartford also is responsible for Twin City's breach of the
14 defense and indemnity obligations in the Policy.
15 71. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants' total and material breach of
16 the Policy, Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to suffer reasonable, foreseeable
17 and ascertainable damages, including but not limited to defense fees and costs incurred
18 in defense of the Thomason Federal Action and any judgment or settlement of the
19 Thomason Federal Action.
20 THIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Against All Defendants For Tortious Breach Of The Implied Covenant
21 Of Good Faith And Fair Dealing)
72. Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate by reference all allegations contained in
22
Paragraphs 1 through 59 above as though fully set forth herein.
23
73. Plaintiffs, acting through Chamco as its officers and directors, purchased
24
the Policy from Defendants with the understanding and expectation that Defendants
25
would act in good faith and deal fairly pursuant to the Policy and the obligations created
26
thereunder.
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 74. The Policy issued by the Defendants to Plaintiffs contained an implied
2 covenant that neither party would do anything to deprive the other party of the benefits
3 of the Policy. The implied covenant also obligated Defendants to act in good faith with
4 regard to their dealings with Plaintiffs, giving Plaintiffs' interests at least as much
5 consideration as their own.
6 75. Defendants' refusal to defend Plaintiffs against the claims asserted in the
7 Thomason Federal Action was unreasonable, without proper investigation, and without
8 proper justification; it demonstrated a failure or refusal to discharge a known and
9 obvious contractual responsibility; and it was prompted not by an honest mistake, bad
10 judgment, advice of counsel, or mere negligence, but rather by a conscious and
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 deliberate act, which unfairly frustrated an agreed-upon purpose of the Policy and
Los Angeles, California
12 managing agents, identified herein as Does 1 through 10, who are responsible for
13 Defendants' general management and operations and including, but not limited to,
14 claims supervision and operation, underwriting, communications and decisions. The
15 aforementioned conduct of these managing agents and individuals was therefore
16 undertaken on behalf of Defendants and with conscious disregard for Plaintiffs'
17 contractual and other rights. Defendants further had advance knowledge of the action
18 and conduct of these individuals whose actions and conduct were ratified, authorized
19 and approved by said managing agents whose precise identities are unknown to
20 Plaintiffs at this time and who are therefore identified and designated herein as Does 1
21 through 10, inclusive.
22 82. As a direct and proximate result of Defendants' bad faith conduct and their
23 total and material breach of the Policy Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue to
24 suffer reasonable, foreseeable and ascertainable damages, including but not limited to
25 defense fees and costs incurred in defense of the Thomason Federal Action and any
26 judgment or settlement of the Thomason Federal Action, as well as related expenses in
27 an amount not yet fully ascertained.
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 83. By virtue of its status as Twin City's principal, alter ego, and joint venturer
2 in a common (but illicit) enterprise to wrongfully deny defense and indemnity coverage
3 to its insureds in this jusdiction (and in other states), as more fully alleged in Paragraphs
4 16 through 19, above, Defendant Hartford also is responsible for Twin City's breach of
5 the defense and indemnity obligations in the Policy.
6 84. The conduct described herein constitutes “oppression, fraud or malice” as
7 those terms are defined in Civil Code § 3294, and Plaintiffs are therefore entitled to
8 punitive damages in an amount according to proof. Plaintiffs are further informed and
9 believes, and based upon such information and belief, alleges that:
10 (a) The conduct described herein constituting oppression, fraud or
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
26 but not limited to refusing to timely, promptly, and without delay, pay for
27 the reasonable and necessary defense costs incurred by Plaintiffs from the
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 time of tender through the present, thereby knowingly and intentionally
2 causing extreme hardship to Plaintiffs;
3 g) Failing to give Plaintiffs' interests at least as much consideration as its own
4 in evaluating the formers' tender of defense in the underlying actions;
5 h) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably failing to adopt and
6 implement reasonable standards for the prompt processing of Plaintiffs'
7 claim, all the while knowing and/or hoping that Plaintiffs would be unable
8 to pursue the full benefits of these insurance policies or would become
9 frustrated with pursuing the full benefits of the Policy and abandon their
10 claims;
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 faith to make a prompt, fair and equitable settlement of the claims against
13 Plaintiffs, thereby reliefing Plaintiffs from the expense, annoyance and
14 stigma attendant to the Thomason Federal Action;
15 j) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably failing to communicate
16 promptly with Plaintiffs, thereby causing Plaintiffs to undertake their own
17 defense in the underlying actions;
18 k) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably compelling Plaintiffs to secure
19 attorneys at considerable cost to obtain from Twin City the defense and
20 indemnity owed to Plaintiffs under the Policy, in an attempt to cause
22 financially crippled so that they would not pursue the full benefits of the
23 insurance policies;
27 benefits; and
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 m) Deliberately, unjustifiably and unreasonably refusing to reconsider their
2 denial of coverage despite their lack of reasonable or diligent investigation
3 and analysis regarding the bases for such coverage, and despite having
4 received from Plaintiffs information that established more than sufficient
5 grounds to conclude that coverage existed and continue to exist under the
6 Policy.
7 88. In interfering with Plaintiffs' contractual relationship with Twin City,
8 Hartford did not act for the sole purpose of protecting its legitimate business interest
9 from being prejudiced. Rather, it acted for the illegitimate business purpose of reaping
10 illicit gains due to its bad faith effort to cause Twin City to deny the insurance benefits
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 to which Plaintiff was entitled. It did not employ proper means to do so, but instead
Los Angeles, California
12 employed wrongful means of interjecting itself, through its HFP division, in the
13 underwriting and claims adjustment processes of its subsidiary (Twin City), and thereby
14 engaged in the business of insurance without first obtaining proper licenses and
15 authorizations to do so in California and other jurisdictions in which Twin City issues
16 Private Choice Encore! D&O policies at Hartford's behest and command.
17 89. In doing so, Defendant Hartford's misconduct, as described above, was
18 undertaken with the express purpose and design of causing Twin City to breach its
19 obligations under the Policy it issued to Plaintiffs. Hartford therefore has directly
20 caused and continues to cause Twin City's breach of its Policy obligations to its
21 insureds, and has disrupted and harmed the contractual relationship between insurer and
22 insureds that properly should exist under and by the terms and conditions of the Policy.
23 Given Hartford's control and domination over Twin City with respect to the coverage
24 acceptance/denial process and decision-making, Hartford is the moving or procuring
25 cause of the breach of Plaintiffs' insurance contract with Twin City. If Hartford had not
26 so dominated and controlled Twin City's performance of its claim investigation, analysis
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 and approval functions, Twin City would have been able to honor and would not have
2 breached its contractual obligations to Plaintiffs.
3 90. As a direct and proximate result of Hartford's tortious interference with
4 Twin City's insurance contract with Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs have suffered and will continue
5 to suffer reasonable, foreseeable and ascertainable damages, including but not limited to
6 defense fees and costs incurred in defense of the Thomason Federal Action and any
7 judgment or settlement of the Thomason Federal Action, as well as related expenses in
8 an amount not yet fully ascertained.
9 91. The conduct described herein constitutes “oppression, fraud or malice” as
10 those terms are defined in Civil Code § 3294, and Plaintiffs are therefore entitled to
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 punitive damages in an amount according to proof. Plaintiffs are further informed and
Los Angeles, California
12 believes, and based upon such information and belief, alleges that:
13 (a) The conduct described herein constituting oppression, fraud or
14 malice was committed by one or more officers, directors, or managing agents of
15 Defendant Hartford who acted on its behalf; or
16 (b) The conduct described herein constituting oppression, fraud or
17 malice was authorized by one or more officers, directors, or managing agents of
18 Defendant Hartford; or
19 (c) One or more officers, directors, or managing agents of Defendant
20 Hartford knew of the conduct constituting malice, oppression, or fraud and adopted or
21 approved that conduct after it occurred.
22 FIFTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Against All Defendants For Violation of Cal. Bus. Prof. Code § 17200 et seq.)
23 92. Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate by reference all allegations contained in
24 Paragraphs 1 through 59 above as though fully set forth herein.
25 93. The California Unfair Competition Act, set forth in California Business and
26 Professions Code section 17200 et seq. ("Section 17200"), prohibits acts of unfair
27 competition, which include “any unlawful, unfair or fraudulent business act or practice .
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 . . .” Section 17200 imposes strict liability for violations and does not require proof that
2 Defendants intended to injure anyone. Section 17200 borrows violations of other laws
3 and treats those transgressions, when committed as a business activity, as "unlawful"
4 business practices. Thus, the "unlawful" practices prohibited by Section 17200 are any
5 practices forbidden by law, be it civil or criminal, federal, state, or municipal, statutory,
6 regulatory, or court-made. Such “unlawful” business practices are independently
7 actionable under Section 17200 and subject to the distinct remedies provided hereunder.
8 94. Moreover, pursuant to California Business and Professions Code section
9 17205, Plaintiffs' remedies under Business and Professions Code sections 17200 et seq.
10 are cumulative with remedies under all other statutory and common law remedies
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 available in this State, including all remedies provided under the California Civil Code
Los Angeles, California
11 business operations of its own, even though it: (i) uses HFP to craft, generate, market,
Los Angeles, California
12 disseminate, and underwrite the Private Choice Encore! D&O policies that are sold to
13 insureds in California and other states -- such as the Policy at issue here; (ii) chooses
14 unilaterally and peremptorily which of its subsidiaries, such as Twin City, it deems
15 appropriate in its sole discretion to insert as the named "Insurer" in the D&O insurance
16 forms it disseminates, markets, underwrites and sells in California and nationwide; and
17 (iii) through HFP's Claim Department, makes the coverage decisions on claims asserted
18 by its California insureds under its Private Choice Encore! D&O policies that are
19 supposedly issued by Twin City or other Hartford subsidiaries from which Hartford
20 claims to be "separate and distinct."
21 99. Twin City also has engaged in "unfair" and "fraudulent" insurance
22 practices within the meaning of Section 17200 by acquiescing in Hartford's practice of
23 dictating the D&O contracts in which Twin City will be inserted as "Insurer" when it
24 knows that Hartford actually will make the crucial decisions regarding which insureds'
25 claims will be paid, and which will be denied. The public is likely to be deceived by
26 this conduct and practice, because while the D&O contracts issued by Twin City with
27 respect to insureds located in this State expressly state that Twin City is the "Insurer," in
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 fact the most crucial insurance decision -- whether a claim will be paid or not -- is not
2 made by Twin City as "Insurer" but, instead, is made by the Claims Department in
3 Hartford's HFP division in New York.
4 100. As a result of Hartford's unlawful, unfair and fraudulent conduct performed
5 in furtherance of the Defendants’ joint venture enterprise, Defendants have been
6 unjustly enriched in an amount as yet is unascertained, which will be determined
7 according to proof at trial, but which includes their ill-gotten receipt from Plaintiffs of
8 the proceeds from their purchase of the Securities at issue.
9 101. Plaintiffs have suffered concrete and substantial monetary harm directly as
10 a result of Hartford's unfair, illegal and fraudulent conduct, including onerous attorneys'
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 fees and defense costs incurred in the Thomason Federal Action (and in the State Court
Los Angeles, California
12 Actions).
13 102. Defendants' practice of adjusting insurance claims offends established
14 public policy, is immoral, unethical, oppressive, unscrupulous and so substantially
15 injurious to consumers such as to constitute an unfair business practice and warrant
16 injunctive relief. Plaintiffs and other members of the public who have purchased
17 insurance from Defendants have been and are likely to continue to be deceived by
18 Defendants' actions. Defendants' conduct is unlawful and constitutes an unfair business
19 practice forbidden by California law and for which injunctive relief should issue
20 immediately. Plaintiffs seek injunctive relief to prevent Defendants from continuing to
21 engage in the conduct alleged.
22 103. Defendants' unlawful insurance practices as alleged herein have caused
23 Defendants to gain a cash windfall in the form of earned premiums and unpaid claims.
24 By reason of the above-alleged unlawful, immoral, unethical, oppressive and
25 unscrupulous acts on Defendants' part, Plaintiffs seek disgorgement of Defendants' ill-
26 gotten gains. Plaintiffs accordingly are entitled to equitable relief under California
27 Business and Professions Code section 17203, in the form of an accounting, restitution
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 and disgorgement of all ill-gotten gains, earnings, profits, compensation and benefits
2 obtained by Defendants as the result of their aforementioned unlawful, unfair and
3 fraudulent business acts and practices.
4 104. Pursuant to California Business and Professions Code Section 17203,
5 Plaintiffs seek a further order by this Court enjoining Defendants from continuing to
6 conduct business through the unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices and acts
7 described in this Complaint; and from failing to fully disclose to the true nature of their
8 business practices in this State.
9 SIXTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
(Against All Defendants For Declaratory Relief)
10 105. Plaintiffs re-allege and incorporate by reference all allegations contained in
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 106. An actual controversy and dispute has arisen and exists between Plaintiffs,
13 on the one hand, and Defendants, on the other hand, regarding their respective rights
14 and obligations under the Policy.
15 107. Defendants contend, on the one hand, that there is no D&O coverage under
16 the Policy for the claims asserted against Plaintiffs in the Thomason Federal Action; that
17 Defendants are under no obligation to defend Plaintiffs under the Policy; and that
18 Defendants have no indemnity obligation to Plaintiffs in connection with any settlement
19 or judgment in the Thomason Federal Action.
20 108. Plaintiffs, on the other hand, dispute Defendants' contentions regarding the
21 lack of coverage as set forth above and contend that the Policy provides defense and
22 indemnity coverage for them.
23 109. In particular, Defendants contend, as a basis for their denial of coverage,
24 that coverage for the Thomason Federal Action is excluded pursuant to Endorsement
25 No. 1 of the Policy, for two reasons Defendants claim are dispositive of the coverage
26 issue:
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 First, Defendants assert that ZX Auto West is a "Subsidiary" of ZXNA,
2 which was added by Endorsement No. 2 as a "Named Entity," because ZXNA
3 supposedly was able to appoint three out of the five "Managing Members" of ZX
4 Auto West under Section 2.5[a] of the Thomason Distributorship Agreement; and
5 Second, the Thomason Distributorship Agreement provides that Thomason
6 is the owner of a 28% membership interest in ZX Auto West -- whereas
7 Endorsement No. 1 provides that "The Insurer shall not pay Loss for any Claim:
8 By or on behalf of any over of 5% or more of the outstanding securities of an
9 Insured Entity, either directly or beneficially."
10 110. Based on these two arguments, Defendants assert that the insured v.
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11 insured exclusion under Section IV(F) of the Policy's D&O Coverage Part applies
Los Angeles, California
28
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 only "Managing Members," but also operational managers, such as the Chief
2 Executive Officer to be chosen by Thomason not by ZXNA under Section 3.11 of
3 the Thomason Distributorship Agreement, as well as other managers Thomason
4 may have chosen as the Managing Member "in charge of the day-to-day
5 management of ZXAUTO WEST." (Thomason Distributorship Agreement §
6 2.5.)
7 Third, because ZX Auto West was never formed as a Delaware Limited
8 Liability Company, ZX Auto West never issued any membership interests to
9 Thomason or anyone else. The ZX Auto West Membership Units were not
10 "outstanding securities" within the meaning of Policy Endorsement No. 1 because
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 they never issued and therefore could not be and never were "outstanding"; rather,
Los Angeles, California
12 they did not exist at all. Nor (Plaintiffs are informed and believe) did ZXNA or
13 Thomason ever obtain any other "outstanding" membership units, appoint any
14 managers, or otherwise manage or control any other Chamco Limited Liability
15 Company.
16 Fourth, in any event, the Thomason Distributorship Agreement provided
17 for Thomason: (i) to be responsible for ZX Auto West's day-to-day management
18 (§ 2.5), (ii) to be appointed as a "Managing Member" of ZX Auto West (§ 2.5[a]),
19 (iii) to provide ZX Auto West with its management information systems
20 technology and computer systems "for all purposes" (§ 2.9[b]), and (iv) to
21 provide ZX Auto West "all vehicle, parts, service and repair, manufacturer,
22 retailer, transportation, manufacturing, sales and technical information in its
23 possession (§ 2.9[a]). This was supposed to be a "member managed LLC"
24 actively managed by its Managing Members and the executive officers; it was not
25 a "manager managed LLC" in which non-member managers operate the LLC for
26 the benefit of passive investors.
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Fifth, Thomason's Membership Units, if they had ever issued, were not
2 freely saleable or transferable, but instead were highly restricted under Sections
3 4.2 and 4.3 of the Thomason Distributorship Agreement.
4 112. In order to resolve this actual controversary and dispute between the
5 Parties, Plaintiffs seek a declaration from this Court over the parties' respective rights
6 and obligations under the Twin Policy attached as Exhibit B hereto, in light of the
7 parties' contentions under the terms of the Thomason Distributorship Agreement
8 attached as Exhibit B hereto, in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 2201(a) and Rule 57 of the
9 Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
10 / / /
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11 / / /
Los Angeles, California
12 / / /
13 / / /
14 IX. DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
15 In accordance with F.R.Civ.P. 38(b) or L.R. 38-1 and 38-2, Plaintiffs demand a
16 trial by jury of all claims set forth herein, apart from any claims or parts of claims
17 sounding in equity, which Plaintiffs request be tried by the Court.
18
19 By:____________________________________________
20 Mark Anchor Albert
Attorneys for Plaintiffs Martin H. Karo, Mario R. Ferla, Thomas Del Franco,
21 Steven Saleen, and Jack Pitluk
22
X. PRAYER FOR RELIEF
23
WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs, and each of them, pray for judgment as follows:
24
ON THE FIRST CLAIM FOR RELIEF
25
(Against All Defendants)
26
1. For compensatory damages according to proof at trial, but in an amount within
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 the jurisdiction of this Court;
2 2. For pre-judgment interest and costs of suit, according to proof.
3 ON THE SECOND CLAIM FOR RELIEF
4 (Against All Defendants)
5 1. For compensatory damages according to proof at trial, but in an amount within
6 the jurisdiction of this Court;
7 2. For pre-judgment interest and costs of suit, according to proof.
8 ON THETHIRD CLAIM FOR RELIEF
9 (Against All Defendants)
10 1. For compensatory damages according to proof at trial, but in an amount within
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
12 2. For attorneys' fees and costs of suit incurred in obtaining the benefits owed under
13 the Twin City Policy, pursuant to Brandt v. Superior Court, 37 Cal. 3d 813
14 (1985), according to proof;
15 3. For punitive and exemplary damages according to proof;
16 4. For costs of suit, according to proof.
17 ON THE FOURTH CLAIM FOR RELIEF
18 (Against Hartford And The Doe Defendants)
19 1. For compensatory damages according to proof at trial, but in an amount within
20 the jurisdiction of this Court;
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 Defendants as the result of their aforementioned unlawful, unfair and fraudulent
2 business acts and practices;
3 2. For a permanent injunction prohibiting and enjoining Defendants from issuing
4 insurance policies in California to insureds when it has no intention of funding a
5 defense of its insureds when they are sued; and
6 3. For a permanent injunction prohibiting and enjoining Defendants from issuing
7 insurance policies in California to insured when it has no intention of paying
8 indemnity obligations on behalf of its insureds for covered damages; and
9 4. For an order by this Court enjoining Defendants from continuing to conduct
10 business through the unlawful, unfair and fraudulent business practices and acts
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11 described in this Complaint; and from failing to fully disclose to the true nature of
Los Angeles, California
26
27
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.
1 2. For a declaratory judgment by the Court that Twin City, Hartford, and each Doe
2 Defendant must reimburse Plaintiffs for the legal fees and costs incurred in this
3 action.
4 ON ALL CLAIMS FOR RELIEF
5 1. For such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.
6
7 DATED: June 22, 2009
8 LAW OFFICES OF MARK ANCHOR ALBERT
9
10
Law Offices of Mark Anchor Albert
11
Los Angeles, California
12 By:
Mark Anchor Albert
13 Attorneys for Plaintiffs Martin H. Karo, Mario R. Ferla,
14 Thomas Del Franco, Steven Saleen, and Jack Pitluk
15
16
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18
19
20
21
22
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Complaint Against Twin City Fire Ins. Co. et al. for Breach of
Insurance Contract, Insurance Bad Faith, Etc.