Deardorff v. Farnsworth

DE MUNIZ, S. J.

The issue in this case is whether the trial court correctly held that defendant Oregon Mutual Insurance Company (OMI) was estopped from relying on an exclusion in an insurance policy. Plaintiffs were transporting horses in California that were owned by others when the trailer carrying the horses caught on fire, killing the horses. The insurers for the horse owners compensated the horse owners for their losses and then filed an action against plaintiffs in California, alleging that plaintiffs had negligently caused the death of the horses. Plaintiffs tendered the defense of the…