Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District / Mar 12, 2020
KEANNA P. BRANCH KERPERIEN, Natural Daughter of Decedents, STEPHANIE KERPERIEN and JAMES KERPERIEN, Plaintiff-Respondent v. COLUMBIA MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY, MEMBER OF COLUMBIA INSURANCE GROUP, INC., Defendant-Appellant
Keanna P. Branch Kerperien filed a declaratory judgment action against Columbia Mutual Insurance Company to determine if liability coverage on an insurance policy could be "stacked" from four vehicles, resulting in $2,000,000 in coverage, following a wrongful death accident. The trial court granted summary judgment for Kerperien, finding the policy ambiguous and allowing stacking. The appellate court reversed, holding that the policy's language unambiguously prohibited stacking and limited liability to $500,000 per accident, directing the trial court to enter judgment for the Insurer.