FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY AND MIRAGE ENTERPRISES, INC. v. RYDER TRUCK RENTAL, INC., ET AL., THE AETNA CASUALTY & SURETY COMPANY, ET AL., SUPERINTENDENT OF INSURANCE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, &C.,

82 N.Y.2d 909, 631 N.E.2d 115, 609 N.Y.S.2d 173 (1994).
January 18, 1994

1 No. 120 SSM 32 [1994 NY Int. 003]
Decided January 18, 1994
This memorandum is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the New York Reports.

MEMORANDUM:

The order of the Appellate Division should be affirmed, with costs, and the certified question answered in the affirmative.

In this action primarily among insurers to apportion liability for a $1.75 million settlement in a personal injury action, we agree with the Appellate Division that the $1 million business auto policy issued to Mirage Enterprises provides excess coverage. Regardless of the finding below that the driver of the truck was a "special employee" of Mirage, the court correctly concluded that the vehicle was not owned, rented or used by Mirage, and thus did not trigger primary coverage under the policy. The $1 million policy issued to Ryder Truck Rental and the $500,000 policy issued to Erie Transfer Company, each providing primary coverage, apply in full to the settlement. The Appellate Division properly remitted the case to the trial court for apportionment of the remaining $250,000 among the excess insurers.

We note, moreover, that while the Appellate Division properly applied Pennsylvania Gen. Ins. Co. v Austin Powder Co. (68 NY2d 465) to bar subrogation by insurers against their own insureds in this case, we do not pass upon the applicability of Pennsylvania General to a declaratory judgment action solely for apportionment of liability among insurers.

On review of submissions pursuant to section 500.4 of the Rules, order affirmed, with costs, and certified question answered in the affirmative, in a memorandum. Chief Judge Kaye and Judges Simons, Bellacosa, Levine and Ciparick concur. Judges Titone and Smith took no part.