Iowa Comprehensive Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Fund Board v. Farmland Mutual Insurance Co.

LARSON, Justice.

This appeal involves our interpretation of the word “sudden” in a pollution-exelusion provision of a comprehensive general liability insurance policy. The issue is whether “sudden” requires that the pollution occur abruptly, as a “boom event,” as argued by the insurer, or whether it is sufficient that the event be merely unforeseen or unexpected, as argued by the insured. We agree with the district court’s interpretation of the word sudden as including a temporal aspect requiring an abrupt event. We therefore affirm the summary judgment.

I. Facts.

The following facts are…