The Second Department determined the complaint raised the reasonable possibility that plaintiff Cumberland Farms would be liable in a slip and fall case, even though the subject property had been leased to another. Therefore, Cumberland was entitled to summary judgment declaring the lessee's insurance carrier was obligated to defend Cumberland:
“A duty to defend is triggered by the allegations contained in the underlying complaint” … . “An insurer's duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify and arises whenever the allegations of the complaint against the insured, liberally construed, potentially fall within the scope of the risks undertaken by the insurer” … . The duty remains “even though facts outside the four corners of [the] pleadings indicate that the claim may be meritless or not covered” … . Nonetheless, “an insurer can be relieved of its duty to defend if it establishes as a matter of law that there is no possible factual or legal basis on which it might eventually be obligated to indemnify its insured under any policy provision” … .
… [T]he complaint in the underlying action alleged that Cumberland was negligent in its ownership, operation, control, and maintenance of the subject gas station. However, the defendants' submissions in support of their motion included evidence that Cumberland leased the gas station to Noori as a franchisee. Since Cumberland's liability, if any, may hinge on the scope of its obligations under the agreements entered into with Noori that established their franchisor/franchisee relationship, the allegations of the complaint in the underlying action suggest a reasonable possibility of coverage for Cumberland in the underlying action … . Cumberland Farms, Inc. v Tower Group, Inc., 2016 NY Slip Op 02048, 2nd Dept 3-23-16
INSURANCE LAW (LESSOR ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT DECLARING LESSEE'S INSURANCE CARRIER WAS OBLIGATED TO DEFEND LESSOR IN SLIP AND FALL CASE)/DUTY TO DEFEND (INSURANCE LAW, LESSOR ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT DECLARING LESSEE'S INSURANCE CARRIER WAS OBLIGATED TO DEFEND LESSOR IN SLIP AND FALL CASE)