Boehm, R. v. Riversource Life Insurance

J. A27014/14
2015 PA Super 120ROBERT J. BOEHM AND : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
BEVERLY LYNN BOEHM : PENNSYLVANIA
:
v. :
:
RIVERSOURCE LIFE INSURANCE :
COMPANY AND JAMES DAY, II, : No. 1999 WDA 2013
:
Appellants :
Appeal from the Judgment Entered December 13, 2013,
in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County
Civil Division at No. G.D. 01-008289
BEFORE: FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E., SHOGAN AND MUSMANNO, JJ.
OPINION BY FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.: FILED MAY 19, 2015
Riversource Life Insurance Company (“Riversource”) and
James Day, II, appeal from the judgment entered December 13, 2013,
following a non-jury trial on plaintiffs/appellees’, Robert J. Boehm and
Beverly Lynn Boehm, Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law
(“UTPCPL”) claims. This is one of a series of cases in Allegheny County
alleging fraudulent misrepresentation in connection with the sale of life
insurance policies. Judgment was entered for the plaintiffs in the amount of
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$295,305.78, including attorneys’ fees and costs. After careful review, we
affirm.1
A jury trial resulted in a defense verdict on plaintiffs’ common law
fraud claims. The parties then proceeded to a non-jury trial before the
Honorable Paul F. Lutty, Jr., on the UTPCPL claims.2 Using a preponderance
of the evidence standard, the trial court found that the defendants purposely
and intentionally misrepresented the terms of the policy. The trial court
found the plaintiffs’ testimony on the contested issues to be credible, and
that of the defendants to be not credible. (Trial court opinion, 2/24/14 at
2.) The trial court adopted the plaintiffs’ proposed findings of fact and
conclusions of law, and awarded $125,000 in damages. Those factual
findings, in their entirety, are as follows:
1. On November 20, 1986, Douglas Sedlak and
Barry Wilhide on behalf of American Express
and IDS Life approached Robert and Beverly
Boehm in order to do a financial and insurance
analysis and asked the Plaintiffs questions
relating to their current financial status,
existing life insurance coverage, and insurance
and financial goals. Testimony of Beverly
Boehm, Trial Transcript, pp. 509:24–511:8
1
Appellants purport to appeal from the December 12, 2013 order denying post-trial
motions. “An appeal from an order denying post-trial motions is interlocutory.
Thus, it follows that an appeal to this Court can only lie from judgments entered
subsequent to the trial court’s disposition of any post-verdict motions, not from the
order denying post-trial motions.” Johnston the Florist, Inc. v. TEDCO Const.
Corp., 657 A.2d 511, 514 (Pa.Super. 1995) (citations omitted). We have amended
the caption accordingly.
2
See Fazio v. Guardian Life Ins. Co., 62 A.3d 396, 411 (Pa.Super. 2012),
appeal denied, 72 A.3d 604 (Pa. 2013) (no right to jury trial for private causes of
action under the UTPCPL).
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(“He asked if we could do the financial
analysis. They gathered information for that to
run the analysis. So they were asking a lot of
questions and financial information that they
needed to run the projections.”)
2. As a result of the financial analysis, a
recommendation was made on or about
November 28, 1986 for the Boehms to
cash-surrender their existing Prudential
Insurance policies and replace them with a
$100,000 universal life insurance policy from
IDS Life. The policy provided $100,000 on
Mr. Boehm and $100,000 on Mrs. Boehm. See
Trial Exhibit 2, Bates No. 000125; Testimony
of Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript, pp. 511:9-
512:9.
3. To get the policy started the Boehms were
directed to deposit a “start-up fee” of $2,000
into the policy. See Trial Exhibit 6; Testimony
of Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript, pp. 514:17-
20.
4. The Boehms were informed that the premium
payments were $50 per month thereafter. See
Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript,
pp. 516:17-19.
5. Between December 1986 and January 1996,
the Boehms were billed monthly in the amount
of $50.00. See Testimony of Beverly Boehm,
Trial Transcript, pp. 516:20-516:25.
6. The Boehms paid the $50.00 monthly bills to
IDS for the 1986 Policy. Id.
7. In November of 1995, the Boehms were called
on the telephone by James Day, who
represented that he was their new financial
advisor and that he wanted to review their
1986 UL policy with IDS Life since he believed
it may need to be replaced. See Testimony of
Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript, pp. 517:11-
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518:1 (“It was like around December, [Day]
called, and he said that we would need to have
a meeting, that the policy, the Universal Life
policy was going to be obsolete and outdated,
and we really needed to set a meeting. He’d
really like to talk with us.”)
8. The Boehms scheduled a meeting with
James Day in late 1995, but it had to be
rescheduled. They were unable to meet until
Monday January 29, 1996. See Testimony of
Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript, pp. 518:2-
518:14.
9. At the meeting on January 29, 1996,
James Day explained that the 1986 UL was
outdated and had to be replaced. See
Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript,
pp. 521:18-522:2 (“Q. What did he tell you
about your 1986 UL Policy at that meeting?
A. He explained to us that the Universal Life
policy from ‘86 was going to be obsolete. He
was telling us that was going to be like in
jeopardy. He could take the cash value of the
Universal Life policy and roll it into a new
vehicle, which would then be the Variable he
then proposed.”).
10. At the meeting on January 29, 1996,
James Day recommended that the Boehms
replace the 1986 $100,000 UL policy with a
new product offered by IDS Life, a variable
universal life insurance policy (VUL) that would
also provide $100,000 in coverage on
Mr. Boehm and $100,000 in coverage on
Mrs. Boehm through a spousal rider, just like
the 1986 UL Policy.
A. Well, I remember there being a
cash value from the UL that he had
said would be in jeopardy if we
didn’t move it. So, he said he
could move that, I believe, $5,400
over, into the cash value of this
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policy, and that cash value
wouldn’t be lost.
The payments -- for the monthly
payments I had told him they were
$50 in the other policy. He said
this would be $50 also. So, this
would be $50.
I said but it was a $100,000 policy.
He said it would be $100,000 for
Robert. But I think I was a rider
on the other policy. He said you’ll
still be a rider on this policy. So, I
says it would be $50 a month. He
said that was the yearly figure,
$600. It was 50 times 12 for a
year. He was showing the yearly.
See Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript, pp. 524:13-525:5[.]
11. James Day explained that the monthly cost of
the new 1996 VUL policy would remain the
same at $50 per month. Also, they should
cash-surrendering [sic] the 1986 UL policy and
rolling-over the cash-surrender amount of
$5,400 into the new 1996 VUL policy. The
cash-surrender amount would cover the
start-up fee. See Testimony of Beverly
Boehm, Trial Transcript, pp. 524:13-525:5[.]
12. In conformation [sic] of his sales
representations, James Day completed the
premium payment amount section in the
application for the new 1996 VUL policy in the
amount of $600 per year. (A premium
payment of $600 per year equals 12 monthly
payments of $50). See Testimony of Beverly
Boehm, Trial Transcript pp. 526:12-20; 537:4-
18; Trial Exhibit 62.
13. James Day also completed the application
sections indicating that the 1986 UL would be
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replaced by the new 1996 VUL policy and that
100% of the cash-surrender amount would be
transferred from the 1986 UL policy into the
new 1996 VUL policy. See Testimony of
Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript pp. 537:19-
538:7; Trial Exhibit 62.
14. Since the Boehms were not informed by
James Day to bring their financial information
with them to the meeting, the application could
not be completed. See Testimony of Beverly
Boehm, Trial Transcript pp. 526:18-527:5.
15. James Day then had the application highlighted
and mailed to the Boehms as part of a packet
of documents that required the Boehms to
complete and/or sign and return. See Trial
Exhibit 101; Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 526:15-18; 532:9-533:1.
16. The Boehms read and completed the
application and signed where indicated. See
Trial Exhibit 101; Testimony of Beverly Boehm,
Trial Transcript pp. 526:15-18; 532:9-533:1.
17. The Boehms also read the information
completed by James Day on the application
regarding the premium payment amount of
$600 annually and the transfer of the
cash-surrender amount from the 1986 UL
policy. See Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 537:19-538:7.
18. Included in the packet of information was also
a copy of a sales illustration for the policy,
which showed payments of $600 per year, with
an initial dump-in of the $5,400. See Trial
Exhibit 101; Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 532:3-532:8.
19. At trial, Jack Kis[p]ert, a Vice President of IDS
Life, testified that the dollar amounts set forth
on the sales illustration had a ZERO percent
chance of working as set forth on the
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illustration. Specifically, Kispert testified as
follows:
Q. IDS Life has no ability to project
the future performance of this
policy with any accuracy beyond
one year. Isn’t that true?
A. We can’t even -- for the overall
performance, we can’t predict it for
more than one day because it’s
invested in the underlying funds.
That’s the cash value. We can
predict death benefits that could be
in effect because this has a death
benefit guarantee feature in it.
Q. So the Boehms -- slide it up. Let
me rephrase. It would be wrong of
the Boehms to believe that this
policy is actually going to grow in
value as set forth on this
illustration. Is that true?
A. It’s not wrong for them to believe
that. The illustration also includes
the zero percent rate of return to
give them an idea of the range of
possibilities to make an informed
decision.
***
Q. What is the likelihood or chance
that this illustration is going to
work exactly as set forth for the
first 20 years?
A. You asked what’s the likelihood
that this would be exactly as
illustrated?
Q. Yes.
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A. Zero. Because he might have
earned ten percent one day. He
might have better than ten
percent. One day less than ten
percent.
So if you say is this going to be
exactly true? No, it will never
happen precisely like that. It may
be better. It may be worse.
Q. So, it will never happen as
illustrated. Is that correct?
A. That’s correct. Because it’s
invested in the market. It’s a
hypothetical performance. It is not
actual values. We can’t predict the
future on investments.
See Testimony of Jack Kispert, Trial Transcript,
pp. 153:7-155:11.
20. Jack Kispert further confirmed that even at the
ten percent investment rate set forth on the
illustration mailed to the Boehms, the policy
would not remain in force until age [] 100.
Q. The Boehms put in $50 a month.
Any possibility this policy is going
to last to age 100?
A. A remote possibility. But based on
the illustration at ten percent, it
would not.
Q. Even at ten percent it would not
make it?
A. Correct.
See Testimony of Jack Kispert, Trial Transcript,
pp. 156:5-10.
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21. Plaintiff[s’] life insurance sales practices
expert, Mark Mikolaj, testified that the policy
was destined to lapse from its inception.
22. When the first bill arrived in March of 1987 for
the new 1996 VUL policy, it was in the amount
of $150. See Testimony of Beverly Boehm,
Trial Transcript pp. 555:14-557:10.
23. After receiving the first bill, Mrs. Boehm called
James Day and asked whether there was a
mistake in the amount, that is, was the billing
set up on a quarterly basis as opposed to a
monthly basis. James Day explained it was a
mistake, to disregard the bill and that a
corrected bill would be sent for $50 per month.
A. We received the first premium bill
in March of ‘96. ‘96.
Q. What happened when you got the
bill?
A. I was like what is this? I was like
confused. I opened the bill, and
the bill was for 150 some dollars. I
was totally confused why this bill
said $150.
When Bob got home from work I
asked did we sign up for like
quarterly payments because I
could have sworn we said we were
doing $50. It was $50 a month.
So I was thinking maybe I missed
a payment. Did I forget
something? Was there something
in the UL policy that I missed? I
don’t remember any other money.
So I immediately looked up his
number and thought I got to call
and find out what this is. There’s
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something wrong. I thought it was
being set up quarterly. So I called
Mr. Day and asked him what it was
about.
Q. What happened during that
conversation on the phone?
A. I asked him was this being set up
quarterly. I thought we agreed to
monthly. He said, oh, yes, it’s
monthly. I said, well, the bill came
in. He said how much is it for. I
said, well, I see now it’s a hundred
fifty some forty-four. I said did I
miss something, James? No. No.
No. No. You didn’t miss anything.
I said I don’t understand why I’m
getting this premium bill. He says
that’s a mistake. I’ll take care of
it. I says, oh, okay. I thought I
did something wrong. He said, no,
no. He says, I’ll take care of that
for you. I said do you want me to
pay this because it’s due? Do you
want me to send a check? He said,
no, no. Don’t do anything. I’ll
take care of it. I’ll send a new
premium with the new $50. Wait
until you receive that, then send
the check with the new premium.
I’m like okay, I’ll wait. So you
don’t want me to at least send a
check ahead? He said no, no, no.
It’s a mistake. I’ll take care of it.
I said oh, I thought I did
something wrong. I was so
confused.
See Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 555:14-557:10[.]
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24. A new bill was sent for $50. See Trial Exhibit
77. See Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 557:11-557:15.
25. Every bill thereafter was sent for $50 per
month. See i.e[.] Trial Exhibit 77; Testimony
of Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript pp. 557:16-
17.
26. The Boehms paid the monthly bills of $50 per
month. See Trial Exhibit 77; Testimony of
Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript pp. 579:14-
581:1.
27. Unknown to the Boehms, when the 1996 VUL
policy was approved by the underwriting
department at IDS Life, the premium amount
was tripled, increasing from $600 annually to
$1,800 annually. See Trial Exhibit 100.
28. The Underwriting Department provided written
instructions to James Day to personally deliver
and witness the amendment to the policy
increasing the premiums. See Trial Exhibit
100.
29. Instead of personally delivering the policy, as
directed to do in writing by the underwriting
department, James Day had his assistant,
Donna mail the policy to the Boehms. See
Trial Exhibit 75; Testimony of Beverly Boehm,
Trial Transcript pp. 552:1-17.
30. The cover letter, dated April 8, 1996, which
was sent with the policy, failed to provide any
explanation that the policy as issued differed
materially from the policy as delivered in that
the premium amount was tripled by IDS Life
and therefore the premiums were increased
from $600 annually to $1,800 annually. See
Trial Exhibit 75.
31. When the policy was delivered by mail in April
of 1996, the Boehms, not realizing that any
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change took place between the terms as sold
and the terms as issued, did not read the
policy.
32. After receiving bills for $50 per month and
paying the same for the next four and one half
years, in September of 2000, the Boehms
received a letter from IDS Life informing them
that they needed to increase their premium
payments to $150 per month or they would
lose their guaranteed death benefit rider
(which ends at age 70). See Trial Exhibit 86;
Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial Transcript
pp. 563:24-564:22.
33. Upon receiving the September 2000 letter, the
Boehms were confused as to why the letter
was sent and called the “800” number in the
letter. See Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 563:24-566:2[.]
34. A meeting was set up with Neal McGrath of
IDS Life who informed them, for the first time,
that the policy would require premium
payments greatly in excess of $50 per month.
See Testimony of Beverly Boehm, Trial
Transcript pp. 566:3-573:3.
35. Jack Kis[p]ert, a Vice President of IDS Life,
testified that the policy provided $200,000 in
coverage, $100,000 on Mr. Boehm and
$100,000 on Mrs. Boehm.
36. Jack Kis[p]ert, a Vice President of IDS Life,
testified that the amount necessary to
guarantee that the policy as sold with
$200,000 of coverage would be funded for its
entire duration was $240 per month.
Q. How much would it cost the
Boehms to guarantee that 1996
VUL policy to last all the way to the
age 100 in a fixed account?
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A. It would have been about $200 a
month if paid on an annual basis.
Q. Let’s take a look at Exhibit 100. I’ll
show you the second page. It ends
with a Bates number of 96.
Just so you understand, do you see
in the bottom right hand it says
IDS/Boehm with four zeros and 96,
confidential? This is a document
produced by IDS Life, not by the
Boehms.
When the Boehms had produced a
document, you will see a number
more like this with just a stamp.
A. Okay.
Q. So, this came from IDS Life.
You would agree with me that
GLAP stands for guideline annual
premium. Correct?
A. Yes. It’s the guideline level annual
premium.
Q. That’s the one we’ve been talking
about?
A. Yes.
Q. It’s $2,881.26 as of March 11,
1996. So this would be the issue
date for the policy; right?
A. Yes.
Q. Okay. So the guideline annual
payment was $2,881.26 per year.
Correct?
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A. Yes.
Q. If you divide that by 12 in round
numbers, doesn’t that come to
about $240?
A. Yes.
Q. I could put a calculator up. But
you would agree?
A. Yes.
See Testimony of Jack Kispert, Trial Transcript,
pp. 190:3-191:12.
37. Plaintiff[s’] life insurance sales practices
expert, Mark Mikolaj, testified that amount
necessary to guarantee that the policy would
be funded for its entire duration was $240 per
month.
38. The actual cost to the Boehms necessary to
guarantee that the policy would remain in force
for the duration of the term of the contract at
age 100 was $240 per month, not the $50 per
month as represented and set forth on the
application by James Day.
39. This law suit was filed in 2001, within six years
of the purchase of the policy in January of
1996.
Plaintiffs’ Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, 7/12/13 at
1-10.
After hearing all the evidence, the trial court determined that the
defendants violated the UTPCPL where the policy as issued and delivered
differed materially from the policy as sold, the defendants purposely and
intentionally misrepresented the terms of the policy, and intentionally failed
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to explain to the plaintiffs that the premium amount had materially changed.
In addition to statutory damages of $125,000, the trial court awarded
reasonable attorneys’ fees of $164,890, and costs of $5,415.78. Post-trial
motions were denied. Judgment was entered for the plaintiffs and against
the defendants on December 13, 2013, in the amount of $295,305.78. This
timely appeal followed. Appellants have complied with Pa.R.A.P.,
Rule 1925(b), 42 Pa.C.S.A., and the trial court has filed an opinion.3
Appellants have raised the following issues for this court’s review:
1. Whether the trial court erred in applying a
preponderance of the evidence burden of
proof, rather than a clear and convincing
evidence burden of proof, to Plaintiffs’
statutory claim under the [UTPCPL], thereby
refusing to apply collateral estoppel to the
jury’s defense verdict on Plaintiffs’ identical
common law fraud claim?
2. In the alternative, if it were proper to apply a
preponderance of the evidence burden of proof
to Plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim, whether the trial
court erred in determining that Plaintiffs
3
The trial court states that appellants raise 36 separate claims of error in their Rule
1925(b) statement, too many to address individually. (Trial court opinion, 2/24/14
at 1 n.1, citing Kanter v. Epstein, 866 A.2d 394 (Pa.Super. 2004), appeal
denied, 880 A.2d 1239 (Pa. 2005), cert. denied, Spector, Gadon & Rosen, P.C.
v. Kanter, 546 U.S. 1092 (2006) (where an appellant’s concise statement raises an
unduly large number of issues (104 in Kanter), the purpose of Rule 1925 is
effectively subverted).) Nevertheless, the trial court was able to address the
general issues raised, including liability, damages, and counsel fees. Id. In
addition, given the relative complexity of this matter, we find that appellants’
voluminous Rule 1925(b) statement was not the result of bad faith or an attempt to
impede the appellate process. Appellants did winnow down the issues actually
raised in their brief. Therefore, we decline to find waiver on this basis. See Maya
v. Johnson and Johnson, 97 A.3d 1203, 1211 n.4 (Pa.Super. 2014) (declining to
find waiver where the subject lawsuit was complex and there was no evidence of
bad faith or an attempt to thwart the appellate process).
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proved all of the elements necessary for a
finding of liability?
3. In the alternative, if it were proper to find
liability on Plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim, whether
the trial court erred in awarding expectation
damages that were not based on the value of
the bargain Plaintiffs claim they expected,
specifically a death benefit for certain premium
payments[?]
4. In the alternative, if it were proper to find
liability on Plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim, whether
the trial court erred in awarding damages not
supported by the evidence presented by either
Plaintiffs’ or Defendants’ damages experts and
that was impermissibly speculative?
5. In the alternative, if it were proper to find
liability on Plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim, whether
the trial court erred in awarding damages that
failed to discount the amount awarded to
present value where there was no offset
required for inflation?
6. In the alternative, if it were proper to find
liability on Plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim, whether
the trial court erred in awarding attorneys’ fees
on the UTPCPL non-jury claim that were
unreasonable because the court did not
adequately eliminate from the award the fees
for activities unrelated to the litigation of the
UTPCPL claim, resulting in an award of
attorneys’ fees for this single nonjury claim
that was 128% of the verdict amount?
Appellants’ brief at 4-5.
In their first issue on appeal, appellants argue that the trial court
applied the wrong standard of proof to the plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim.
According to appellants, the trial court should have used the clear and
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convincing standard rather than the less stringent preponderance of the
evidence standard. Appellants claim that since the jury had already issued a
defense verdict on the plaintiffs’ common law fraud claim using the clear and
convincing standard, collateral estoppel barred relitigating the same issue.4
Appellants argue that the clear and convincing standard applies to both
common law fraud claims and fraud claims brought under the “catchall”
provision of the UTPCPL. We disagree.
“In reviewing a decision of a court after a non-jury trial, we will
reverse the trial court only if its findings are predicated on an error of law or
are unsupported by competent evidence in the record.” Wallace v.
Pastore, 742 A.2d 1090, 1092 (Pa.Super. 1999), appeal denied, 764 A.2d
1071 (Pa. 2000), citing Hodges v. Rodriguez, 645 A.2d 1340 (Pa.Super.
4
To determine whether collateral estoppel applies, we
determine whether:
(1) An issue decided in a prior action is identical
to one presented in a later action;
(2) The prior action resulted in a final judgment
on the merits;
(3) The party against whom collateral estoppel is
asserted was a party to the prior action, or is
in privity with a party to the prior action;
and
(4) The party against whom collateral estoppel is
asserted had a full and fair opportunity to
litigate the issue in the prior action.
Murphy v. Duquesne University of Holy Ghost, 745 A.2d 1228, 1235-1236
(Pa.Super. 1999), affirmed, 777 A.2d 418 (Pa. 2001), quoting Rue v. K–Mart
Corporation, 713 A.2d 82, 84 (Pa. 1998).
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1994). “The UTPCPL must be liberally construed to effect the law’s purpose
of protecting consumers from unfair or deceptive business practices.” Id. at
1093 (citation omitted). “In addition, the remedies of the UTPCPL are not
exclusive, but are in addition to other causes of action and remedies.” Id.
(citations omitted). “The UTPCPL’s ‘underlying foundation is fraud
prevention.’” Weinberg v. Sun Co., Inc., 777 A.2d 442, 446 (Pa. 2001),
quoting Commonwealth v. Monumental Properties, Inc., 329 A.2d 812,
816 (Pa. 1974).
The UTPCPL provides a private right of
action for anyone who “suffers any
ascertainable loss of money or property”
as a result of “an unlawful method, act or
practice.” Upon a finding of liability, the
court has the discretion to award “up to
three times the actual damages
sustained” and provide any additional
relief the court deems proper. Section
201-2(4) lists twenty enumerated
practices which constitute actionable
“unfair methods of competition” or
“unfair or deceptive acts or practices.”
The UTPCPL also contains a catchall
provision at 73 P.S. § 201-2(4)(xxi).
The pre-1996 catchall provision
prohibited “fraudulent conduct” that
created a likelihood of confusion or
misunderstanding. In 1996, the General
Assembly amended the UTPCPL and
revised Section 201-2(4)(xxi) to add
“deceptive conduct” as a prohibited
practice. The current catchall provision
proscribes “fraudulent or deceptive
conduct which creates a likelihood of
confusion or of misunderstanding.”
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[Bennett v. A.T. Masterpiece Homes at
Broadsprings, LLC, 40 A.3d 145, 151-152
(Pa.Super. 2012)] (internal citations omitted). See
also Agliori v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 879
A.2d 315, 318 (Pa.Super. 2005) (stating purpose of
UTPCPL is to protect consumer public and eradicate
unfair or deceptive business practices; foundation of
UTPCPL is fraud prevention, and its policy is to place
consumer and seller of goods and services on more
equal terms; courts should construe its provisions
liberally to serve remedial goals of statute).
DeArmitt v. New York Life Ins. Co., 73 A.3d 578, 591-592 (Pa.Super.
2013) (emphasis in original).
“Nothing in the legislative history suggests that the legislature ever
intended statutory language directed against consumer fraud to do away
with the traditional common law elements of reliance and causation.”
Weinberg, 777 A.2d at 446 (footnote omitted). See also Yocca v.
Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc., 854 A.2d 425, 438 (Pa. 2004) (“To
bring a private cause of action under the UTPCPL, a plaintiff must show that
he justifiably relied on the defendant’s wrongful conduct or representation
and that he suffered harm as a result of that reliance.”) (citations omitted).
Because the transaction at issue here occurred before the 1996
amendments to the UTPCPL catchall provision permitting a claim for
deceptive conduct, the plaintiffs had to establish the elements of common
law fraud. To establish a claim for common law fraud, the elements must be
proven by clear and convincing evidence. See Weissberger v. Myers,
90 A.3d 730, 735 (Pa.Super. 2014), citing Pittsburgh Nat. Bank v.
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Larson, 507 A.2d 867, 869 (Pa.Super. 1986) (“stating that a party proving
fraud must meet the more exacting standard of clear and convincing
evidence, which is a higher standard of persuasion than mere preponderance
of the evidence”).5
As stated in Sutliff v. Sutliff, 543 A.2d 534, 538 (Pa. 1988), in the
predominant number of civil cases, where only economic and property
interests are at stake, the evidentiary burden requires only proof by a
preponderance of the evidence. Section 201-9.2 of the UTPCPL, providing
for private actions, does not set forth which standard of proof applies, and
apparently the matter has never been decided by the Pennsylvania appellate
courts. There is no language anywhere in the UTPCPL suggesting that
private actions brought pursuant to Section 201-9.2 should be governed by
a more demanding standard of proof than proof by a preponderance of the
evidence. Moreover, the preponderance of the evidence standard of proof,
which is the standard usually applied to remedial legislation, is consistent
with the UTPCPL’s purpose of protecting the public from fraud and unfair or
deceptive business practices. See Com. ex rel. Corbett v. Peoples
Benefit Services, Inc., 923 A.2d 1230, 1236 (Pa.Cmwlth. 2007) (“we are
cognizant of our supreme court’s directive that the UTPCPL is to be
5
Appellees argue that the post-1996 amended version of Section 201-2(4)(xxi)
should apply because they instituted suit after it took effect. However, it was never
disputed in the trial court that appellees had to prove all the elements of common
law fraud. (See plaintiffs’ proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, 7/12/13
at 12 ¶ 14; RR at 1431.)
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construed liberally to effectuate its objective of protecting consumers of this
Commonwealth from fraud and unfair or deceptive business practices.”),
citing Monumental Properties, supra.
While not binding on this court, we find the Honorable R. Stanton
Wettick, Jr.’s opinion on this issue in the case of Eck v. Metropolitan Life
Ins. Co., 2006 WL 6346564 (Allegheny Co. 2006), to be persuasive.6
Therein, Judge Wettick notes that the UTPCPL is one of many laws protecting
consumers which permit private actions, including the Real Estate Seller
Disclosure Law, the Goods and Services Installment Sales Act, and the
Credit Services Act. Id. at 18-20.
There is no case law which suggests that the
Legislature intended for private actions, brought
pursuant to any of these other laws protecting
consumers, to be governed by more demanding
proof than a preponderance of the evidence. I have
not been offered any reason why the Legislature
would have intended for only Consumer Protection
Law claims to be governed by a higher standard.
Id. at 20 (footnote omitted).
As in Eck, supra, appellants argue that the standard of clear and
convincing evidence applies to any claims based on fraud. (See appellants’
brief at 22 (“A clear and convincing evidence burden of proof must apply to
Plaintiffs’ UTPCPL claim because the clear and convincing evidence burden is
6
“We recognize that decisions of the Court of Common Pleas are not binding
precedent; however, they may be considered for their persuasive authority.”
Fazio, 62 A.3d at 411, quoting Hirsch v. EPL Techs., Inc., 910 A.2d 84, 89 n.6
(Pa.Super. 2006).
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a fundamental part of a fraud claim. ‘When an allegation of fraud is injected
in a case, the whole tone and tenor of the matter changes.’”), quoting
B.O. v. C.O., 590 A.2d 313, 315 (Pa.Super. 1991).) Judge Wettick rejected
this position:
I next consider the contention that a standard of
clear and convincing evidence should be applied
whenever a court characterizes a claim as
fraud-based. As I previously discussed, there is no
language in the Consumer Protection Law, in other
consumer protection acts, in any legislative history,
or in any Pennsylvania appellate court case law
which supports this construction of the Consumer
Protection Law. While judicially created tort law
may, in setting a standard of proof, distinguish
between fraud-based claims and other claims, this is
not a distinction that legislators are likely to make.
Consequently, a court should not assume that the
Legislature intended to make such a distinction
where there is no language in the legislation
suggesting such a distinction.
I believe that if the Consumer Protection Law did not
include the catchall provision, courts, without
discussion, would be applying a preponderance of
the evidence standard to all private actions. A claim
that the Legislature, by including the catchall
provision, intended to change the burden of proof for
all fraud-related conduct gives undue weight to the
catchall provision. There appear to be few instances
in which conduct coming within the catchall provision
would not also come within one or more of the unfair
practices described in §201-2(4)(i)-(xx). Thus, the
tail would be wagging the dog if a fraud standard of
proof governed all unfair trade practices because of
the presence of the catchall provision.
Id. at 22-23. Judge Wettick’s reasoning is sound in this regard and we
adopt it as our own.
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Finally, Judge Wettick notes that his ruling that private actions based
on consumer protection legislation should be governed by a preponderance
of the evidence standard of proof is consistent with appellate court case law
in other jurisdictions, and with federal law. Id. at 23-24, citing, e.g.,
Cuculich v. Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc., 739 N.E.2d 934(Ill.App.Ct. 2000) (the plaintiffs were required to prove a claim under the
Consumer Fraud Act only by a preponderance of the evidence; the
Consumer Fraud Act does not specifically require a greater standard of proof
and the Act is intended to provide broader protection to consumers than
common law fraud claims); Federal Trade Commission v. Tashman, 318
F.3d 1273, 1280 (11th Cir. 2003) (applying a preponderance of the evidence
standard for claims brought under the Federal Trade Commission Act). See
Com. Acting by Kane v. Flick, 382 A.2d 762, 765 (Pa.Cmwlth. 1978) (the
Federal Trade Commission Act and the Lanham Trademark Act were the
models for Pennsylvania’s UTPCPL and, hence, we may confidently look to
decisions under those acts for guidance in interpreting the Pennsylvania Act)
(citation omitted).
Therefore, we determine that the trial court correctly applied a
preponderance of the evidence standard of proof to the plaintiffs’ UTPCPL
claims. As such, collateral estoppel did not apply and the trial court was not
bound by the jury’s previous finding, using a heightened standard, that the
defendants did not engage in fraudulent conduct.
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Next, appellants argue that the plaintiffs failed to prove all the
elements of common law fraud, including a fraudulent misrepresentation and
justifiable reliance. Appellants argue that even if Mr. Day told the plaintiffs
that a $50 per month premium would guarantee a death benefit of
$100,000, the document signed by Mr. Boehm, which he admittedly did not
read, specifically provided that the value of the policy could differ based on
the rate of return and charges. The document provided an illustration
showing the policy with no value at age 50 based on a zero percent
investment return, and guaranteed charges. (Appellants’ brief at 27.)
As stated above, the pre-amendment version of Section 201-2(4)(xxi)
applies here; therefore, the plaintiffs had to make out all the elements of
common law fraud.
In turn, to establish common law fraud, a plaintiff
must prove: (1) misrepresentation of a material
fact; (2) scienter; (3) intention by the declarant to
induce action; (4) justifiable reliance by the party
defrauded upon the misrepresentation; and
(5) damage to the party defrauded as a proximate
result.
Ross v. Foremost Ins. Co., 998 A.2d 648, 654 (Pa.Super. 2010), quoting
Colaizzi v. Beck, 895 A.2d 36, 39 (Pa.Super. 2006). Cf. Bennett v. A.T.
Masterpiece Homes at Broadsprings, LLC, supra (After the 1996
amendment, catchall provision liability can arise when the plaintiff alleges
either fraudulent or deceptive conduct; the 1996 amendment permits
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plaintiffs to proceed without satisfying all of the elements of common law
fraud).
In the non-commercial life insurance context,
the customer is not required to scrutinize the policy
to see if it matches the insurance agent’s
representations and meets the insured’s
expectations. [Drelles v. Manufacturers Life Ins.
Co., 881 A.2d 822, 835 (Pa.Super. 2005)]. “This
Court has held that an insurance agent’s expertise in
the field of life insurance vests his . . .
representations with authority and tends ‘to induce
the insured to believe that reading the policy would
be superfluous.’” Id. at 836.
Moreover, “normal” contract principles do
not apply to insurance transactions. Life
insurance policies are contracts of
adhesion and the adhesionary nature of
life insurance documents is such that a
non-commercial insured is under no duty
to read the policy as issued and sent by
the insurance company. Courts must be
alert to the fact that the expectations of
the buying public are in large measure
created by the insurance industry itself.
Tonkovic v. State Farm [Mut. Auto.
Ins. Co.], 513 Pa. 445, 456, 521 A.2d
920, 926 (1987).
Through the use of lengthy,
complex, and cumbersomely
written applications, conditional
receipts, riders, and policies, to
name just a few, the insurance
industry forces the insurance
consumer to rely upon the oral
representations of the insurance
agent. Such representations
may or may not accurately
reflect the contents of the
written document and therefore
the insurer is often in a position
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to reap the benefit of the
insured’s lack of understanding
of the transaction.
Id. In particular, the life insurance
industry, despite repeated cautions from
the courts, has persisted in using
language which is obscure to a layman
and, in tolerating agency practices,
calculated to lead a layman to believe he
has coverage beyond that which may be
called for by a literal reading of the
policy. Regardless of the ambiguity, or
lack thereof, inherent to a given set of
insurance documents (whether they be
applications, conditional receipts, riders,
policies, or whatever), courts must
examine the dynamics of the insurance
transaction itself to ascertain the
reasonable expectations of the
consumer.
Id. at 836–37 (some internal citations and one
footnote omitted). Where nothing in the record
supports the notion that the purchaser is an expert
concerning the financial or insurance industry or the
vocabulary used in that industry, he cannot be
expected to use terms of art with the same
understanding as a financial or insurance expert or
even a lawyer might. Id. at 839. Thus, justifiable
reliance often involves credibility determinations
which are likewise for the fact-finder to resolve. Id.
In view of the trust placed in insurance
agents, it is not unreasonable for
consumers to rely upon the
representations of the expert rather than
on the contents of the insurance policy
itself, or to pass when the time comes to
read the policy. Ultimately, policyholders
have no duty to read the policy and are
entitled to rely upon agent’s
representations unless the circumstances
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of the case make it “unreasonable” for
them not to read the policy.
Id. at 840-41. Finally, the issue of justifiable
reliance in this context also requires the fact-finder
to consider “the relationship of the parties involved
and the nature of the transaction” to determine
whether the purchasers justifiably relied upon the
agent’s representations to the extent necessary to
support their UTPCPL claims. Id. at 841. For these
reasons at least, justifiable reliance is typically a
question of fact for a fact-finder to decide. [Toy v.
Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 928 A.2d 186, 208 (Pa.
2007)].
DeArmitt, 73 A.3d at 592-593.
Thus, in Toy, the plaintiff, Georgina Toy (“Toy”), alleged that one of
Metropolitan Life’s sales representatives, Bob Martini (“Martini”), presented
Toy with information regarding a “50/50 Savings Plan.” Toy, 928 A.2d at
189. Martini described the plan as a savings vehicle and stated that if Toy
were to make monthly payments of $50, the plan would generate a fund of
approximately $100,000 by the time she reached 65 years of age. Id. Toy
was also informed that life insurance was part of the plan. Id. Toy
completed the application and received a policy of insurance from
Metropolitan Life, including a cover sheet describing the policy as,
inter alia, a “Whole Life Policy,” and “Life insurance payable when the
insured dies.” Id. By her own admission, Toy did not read the policy.
Later, she filed suit alleging that the defendants misrepresented the policy
as a savings or investment vehicle, leading her to believe she was investing
in a savings plan when she was actually purchasing life insurance. Id. at
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190. Toy brought claims under the UTPCPL including for fraudulent conduct
under the catchall provision. Id. at 191.
On appeal, the defendants argued that Toy was precluded as a matter
of law from pointing to Martini’s alleged misrepresentations about the policy
to establish justifiable reliance because those misrepresentations were
rebutted by the terms of a clearly written and fully integrated contract. Id.
at 203. The defendants also argued that a plaintiff in Toy’s position should
be required to read the parties’ written contract and an action under the
UTPCPL does not lie for a party who neglects to do so, thereby failing to
detect the differences between the writing and the alleged
misrepresentations made about its contents. Id.
Our supreme court disagreed, holding that the parol evidence rule
does not apply to allegations of fraud in the execution of a contract, as
compared to fraud in the inducement:
We then discussed the so-called exceptions to the
rule, observing that parol evidence may be
introduced to vary a writing meant to be the parties’
entire contract, when a party avers that that [sic]
the contract is ambiguous or that a term was
omitted from the contract because of fraud, accident
or mistake. With regard to the exception for fraud,
we noted that this Court has restricted the exception
to allegations of fraud in the execution of a contract,
and has refused to apply the exception to allegations
of fraud in the inducement of a contract. We stated
that “while parol evidence may be introduced based
on a party’s claim that there was fraud in the
execution of a contract, i.e., that a term was
fraudulently omitted from the contract, parol
evidence may not be admitted based on a claim that
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there was fraud in the inducement of the contract,
i.e., that an opposing party made false
representations that induced the complaining party
to agree to the contract.”
Id. at 204-205, quoting Yocca, 854 A.2d at 437 n.26 (citations omitted).
“This is so because in the fraud in the execution context, the allegation is
that the written agreement is not the expression of the parties’ true and
complete contractual intent inasmuch as terms that were agreed to by the
parties were omitted from that writing through fraud.” Id. at 206 n.24.
“[W]hen fraud in the execution is alleged, representations made prior to
contract formation are not considered superseded and disclaimed by a fully
integrated written agreement, as they are when fraud in the inducement is
asserted.” Id. at 206-207.
The court in Toy further concluded that the plaintiff could establish
justifiable reliance on Martini’s alleged misrepresentations even where she
did not read the policy: “Some time ago, we determined that a party who
engages in intentional fraud should be made to answer to the party he
defrauded, even if the latter was less than diligent in protecting himself in
the conduct of his affairs.” Id. at 207 (citation omitted). Whether or not
Martini’s misrepresentations about the policy were obvious, given the
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information on the policy’s cover sheet, was a question of fact for the
fact-finder to decide. Id. at 208.7
Instantly, at the meeting on January 29, 1996, Day recommended that
the Boehms replace their 1986 universal life policy with a variable universal
life insurance policy that would also provide $100,000 in coverage on
Mr. Boehm and $100,000 in coverage on Mrs. Boehm. Mrs. Boehm testified
that Day assured her that she would continue to be covered under the new
policy through a spousal rider. Day also confirmed that premium payments
would remain $50 per month. Day explained that they would be rolling over
$5,400 from the old policy into the new 1996 VUL policy.
Despite Day’s assurances, the first bill for the new VUL policy was for
$150. When Mrs. Boehm called Day to ask whether there was a mistake,
Day again assured her that the premium was $50 per month. Day stated
that the bill for $150 was a mistake and he would take care of it. A new bill
was sent for $50 and the Boehms continued to make monthly payments of
$50 per month thereafter. However, unbeknownst to the Boehms, when the
1996 VUL policy was approved by the underwriting department at IDS Life,
the premiums were tripled to $1,800 annually ($150/month). When the new
7
Part II(C) of the late Chief Justice Cappy’s Opinion, regarding justifiable reliance,
was joined by Justices Eakin and Baer. Justices Baldwin and Newman did not
participate in the decision of the case. Justice Saylor filed a concurring and
dissenting Opinion, joined by Justice Castille, setting forth his disagreement that
Toy’s allegations fell outside the purview of the parol evidence rule. Justice Saylor
would require something more than obvious misrepresentations concerning the
terms of an integrated contract to maintain an exception to the parol evidence rule
for fraud.
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policy arrived in April 1996, the Boehms, not realizing any material changes
had been made, did not read the policy. Instead, they relied on Day’s
representations that the annual premium remained $600 annually for
$200,000 of coverage.
In September 2000, they received a letter from IDS Life informing
them that they needed to increase their premium payments to $150 per
month or they would lose their guaranteed death benefit. In fact, there was
expert testimony that to fund the policy for its entire duration would require
monthly payments of $240, far in excess of what Day had represented.
Based on these facts, the trial court concluded that Day had purposely
and intentionally misrepresented the terms of the insurance policy. Day
intentionally failed to explain to the Boehms that the premium amount had
changed from $600 to $1,800 annually. Despite having been explicitly
directed to do so by the insurer, Day failed to personally deliver the new
policy to the Boehms and explain to them that the premiums had increased.
Instead, when contacted by Mrs. Boehm about the discrepancy, Day
characterized it as a “mistake.” Although they admittedly failed to read the
terms of the 1996 VUL policy, the Boehms justifiably relied on Day’s
misrepresentations as to the contents of the policy. The trial court, sitting
as finder-of-fact in this matter, found the Boehms to be credible. Appellants
argue that the policy contained illustrations demonstrating that at $50 per
month, the policy would run out of money. However, since the plaintiffs are
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alleging fraud in the execution of a life insurance contract, the parol
evidence rule does not apply and they justifiably relied on Day’s
misrepresentations. Toy. We find the trial court’s verdict was supported by
the evidence. The plaintiffs established all the elements of common law
fraud sufficient to make out a claim under the pre-amendment catchall
provision of the UTPCPL.
Next, appellants argue the trial court erred in calculating statutory
damages at $125,000. According to appellants, the proper measure of
damages is the difference in value between what the plaintiffs bargained for
and what they received; here, the value to the plaintiffs was a $100,000
death benefit if they paid $50 per month in premium payments plus their
initial lump sum amount. (Appellants’ brief at 35.) Appellants’ expert on
damages used a life expectancy for Mr. Boehm to age 85, or 2043. (Id. at
36.) Discounting to present value, appellants’ expert subtracted the future
premium payments from the $100,000 death benefit, to arrive at damages
of $12,766. (Id.) Appellants argue that a present payment of $12,766
provides the plaintiffs with the benefit of their death benefit minus the
premiums they expected to pay, discounted to present value, and places
them in the same position they would otherwise have been in if the contract
had been performed. (Id. at 36-37.) Appellants also argue that the trial
court’s damages award was speculative, not supported by the evidence
presented by either party’s experts, assumed without any evidence that
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Mr. Boehm will live to age 95, which is ten years beyond his reasonable life
expectancy, and fails to account for policy values based on future
investment returns and insurance charges.
Appellees argue that the trial court properly applied this court’s
decision in Lesoon v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 898 A.2d 620 (Pa.Super.
2006), appeal denied, 912 A.2d 1293 (Pa. 2006), in arriving at its
damages award. According to appellees, under Lesoon, they should be
compensated for the difference in price between the policy that was
promised and the policy that was issued. Instantly, the underfunded policy
sold to appellees matures at age 95 and was promised to cost $50 per
month, or $600 annually, plus an initial dump-in of $5,400 from the 1986 UL
policy. The 1996 VUL policy provided $100,000 in death benefits to both
Mr. and Mrs. Boehm for a total of $200,000 in coverage. It was alleged that
the actual amount necessary to fully fund the policy at guaranteed rates was
$240 per month, a difference of $190 per month, or $2,280 per year.
Appellees multiplied $2,280 per year by 62 years (the number of years to
maturity of the policy) to arrive at damages of $141,360. Appellees then
subtracted the up-front payment of $5,400 for a total damage amount of
$135,960. Appellees argue that this formula conforms with Lesoon and
provides the amount of money necessary for the Boehms to be able to keep
the policy in force for the duration of the term of the policy in order to honor
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the bargain. Appellees argue that under Pennsylvania law, it is improper to
apply a discount rate to future lump-sum damages awards.
The duty of assessing damages is for the fact-finder,
whose decision should not be disturbed on appeal
unless the record clearly shows that the amount
awarded was the result of caprice, partiality,
prejudice, corruption, or some other improper
influence. Skurnowicz v. Lucci, 798 A.2d 788, 795
(Pa.Super.2002). “In reviewing the award of
damages, the appellate courts should give deference
to the decisions of the trier of fact who is usually in a
superior position to appraise and weigh the
evidence.” Ferrer v. Trustees of the University
of Pennsylvania, 573 Pa. 310, 343, 825 A.2d 591,
611 (2002) (quoting Delahanty v. First
Pennsylvania Bank, 318 Pa.Super. 90, 464 A.2d
1243, 1257 (1983)). The damage calculation need
not be determined with complete accuracy, but it
must be founded on a reasonable factual basis, not
conjecture. Skurnowicz, supra.
Lesoon, 898 A.2d at 628.
To recover damages under the UTPCPL, a plaintiff
must demonstrate an “ascertainable loss as a result
of the defendant’s prohibited action.” Weinberg v.
Sun Co., Inc., 565 Pa. 612, 618, 777 A.2d 442, 446
(2001) (emphasis in original).
The determination of damages is a
factual question to be decided by the
fact-finder. The fact-finder must assess
the testimony, by weighing the evidence
and determining its credibility, and by
accepting or rejecting the estimates of
the damages given by the witnesses.
Although the fact[-]finder may not
render a verdict based on sheer
conjecture or guesswork, it may use a
measure of speculation in estimating
damages. The fact-finder may make a
just and reasonable estimate of the
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damage based on relevant data, and in
such circumstances may act on probable,
inferential, as well as direct and positive
proof.
Penn Elec. Supply Co., Inc. v. Billows Elec.
Supply Co., Inc., 364 Pa.Super. 544, 528 A.2d 643,
644 (1987) (internal citations omitted).
The provision governing damages in private
actions under the UTPCPL, in pertinent part, states:
§ 201–9.2 Private Actions
(a) Any person who purchases or leases
goods or services primarily for
personal, family or household
purposes and thereby suffers any
ascertainable loss of money or
property, real or personal, as a
result of the use or employment by
any person of a method, act or
practice declared unlawful by
section 3 of this act, may bring a
private action to recover actual
damages or one hundred dollars
($100), whichever is greater. The
court may, in its discretion, award
up to three times the actual
damages sustained, but not less
than one hundred dollars ($100),
and may provide such additional
relief as it deems necessary or
proper. The court may award to the
plaintiff, in addition to other relief
provided in this section, costs and
reasonable attorney fees.
73 P.S. § 201-9.2(a) (footnote omitted) (emphasis
added). “The UTPCPL does not provide a formula for
calculation of ‘actual damages.’” Agliori, supra at
319. Nevertheless, case law makes clear “that the
UTPCPL was meant to supplement—not replace—
common law remedies.” Id. Under circumstances
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where the entire transaction was based on
misrepresentations as to its true cost, an assessment
of ascertainable loss cannot be made simply by
examining what was purchased. Id. at 321.
“Ascertainable loss must be established from the
factual circumstances surrounding each case. . . .”
Id. See, e.g., Lesoon v. Metropolitan Life Ins.
Co., 898 A.2d 620, 633 (Pa.Super.2006), appeal
denied, 590 Pa. 678, 912 A.2d 1293 (2006) (stating
plaintiff should be compensated, at minimum, for
difference in value between what he bargained for
and what he received). Thus, ascertainable losses
can include costs and other shortfalls associated with
the transaction at issue. Id. at 632; Agliori, supra.When calculating a damages award under the
UTPCPL:
Decisions by our Supreme Court and this
Court have stressed time and again the
deterrence function of the statute. If the
court permits the appellee-defendants
simply to repay what is owed the
consumer under the fraudulently induced
contract, the deterrence value of the
[UTPCPL] is weakened, if not lost
entirely. We cannot accept such an
evisceration of the statutory goals.
Id. at 321–22 (internal citations omitted).
DeArmitt, 73 A.3d at 593-594.
In Lesoon, the plaintiffs had two policies with MetLife providing
$15,000 in coverage. Lesoon, 898 A.2d at 622-623. In January 1989,
MetLife agent Ronald Sabilla advised Mr. Lesoon that he could increase his
coverage to $65,000 by purchasing a $50,000 universal life policy for an
additional cost of only $18 per month. Id. at 623. Plaintiffs agreed, and the
application was approved; however, plaintiffs made it clear that they would
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not agree to automatic withdrawal of the monthly premiums from their
checking account, preferring instead to use payment coupons and checks as
they had been since the 1970’s. Id. Mr. Lesoon was told that the total
monthly premium for all three policies would never exceed $50.50. Id. He
was also told that the existing family and whole life policies would not be
altered in any way. Id.The plaintiffs later discovered that MetLife had enrolled them in the
automatic withdrawal plan without their knowledge or consent. In fact,
someone from MetLife had forged Ms. Lesoon’s signature on a form
authorizing monthly withdrawals from her checking account in the amount of
$61.75. Id. at 623-624. The plaintiffs only became aware that this was
occurring when they bounced two checks. Id. at 624.
Subsequently, the plaintiffs learned that their $5,000 age 65 family
policy had been replaced with a $5,000 age 85 policy. Id. They also
learned that premiums in the amount of $50.50 per month would not pay for
the three policies unless money was transferred from the $5,000 policy to
the new $50,000 policy. Id. In December 1989, the plaintiffs asked that
everything be restored to where it was before they purchased the
$50,000 policy. Id. Eventually, in June 1990, MetLife agreed to cancel the
$50,000 universal life policy, refund all money in that policy to the plaintiffs,
and issue a new $5,000 policy with the same monthly premium and the
same terms as the initial policy. Id. MetLife had already refunded the
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money which was taken out of Ms. Lesoon’s checking account without her
permission. Id.The trial court found in favor of the plaintiffs on their UTPCPL and
fraud claims, and awarded the minimum $100 in damages. Id. at 625. The
trial court reasoned that the plaintiffs did not suffer actual damages where
MetLife restored them to the position they would have been in had they not
purchased the $50,000 policy. Although MetLife had withdrawn $185.25
from Ms. Lesoon’s account without authorization, the money was returned
and the bank waived its overdraft fees. Id. According to the trial court, the
only possible damages were MetLife’s fraudulent use of the plaintiffs’ money
($185.25) for approximately four months, resulting in delay damages and
statutory interest of $14.85. Id. at 625-626.
On appeal, the plaintiffs claimed they were entitled to restitution
damages under the UTPCPL based on the fraudulent acts committed by
MetLife and its agent, Sabilla. Id. at 628. The plaintiffs argued that the trial
court erred in refusing to award restitution damages and in finding that
rescission was the only available remedy:
In the instant case, Appellants contend that the
verdict is inconsistent with the underlying purpose of
the UTPCPL, i.e., fraud prevention, because the trial
court merely returned the parties to the status quo
that existed before any fraudulent acts were
committed. Citing [Metz v. Quaker Highlands,
Inc., 714 A.2d 447 (Pa.Super. 1998)], and Agliori,
supra, Appellants argue that MetLife should be
required to compensate them for the value of the
$50,000 policy that was promised to them by
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Mr. Sabilla. More succinctly, Appellants assert that
they are entitled to recover the total amount it would
have cost to fund the universal policy that they
agreed to purchase from Mr. Sabilla because it was a
bargained-for exchange, and Mr. Lesoon’s assent
was procured by fraud. According to Appellants, the
trial court’s failure to award restitution or “benefit-
of-the-bargain” damages in this instance was
contrary to the spirit of the UTPCPL and the holding
in Metz and Agliori.
Id. at 629.
This court agreed, stating,
[T]he testimony presented during the trial
unequivocally established that Appellants failed to
receive the benefit of the contract that Mr. Lesoon
signed, and Appellants could not afford the policy
that they actually received. Therefore, at a
minimum, Appellants should be compensated for the
difference in price between the policy that was
promised to them and the policy that was issued.
Id. at 633. The Lesoon court also noted MetLife’s deplorable conduct in
that case, including the fact that the plaintiffs were initially told the
unauthorized withdrawals were the result of human or computer error, and
had to make repeated demands to inspect the withdrawal authorization
form. Id. at 632. In January 1990, they asked MetLife to rescind the
universal policy and restore the $5,000 family policy to its original state;
MetLife did not comply with this request until June 1990. Id.
Metz and Agliori are also instructive. In Metz, the plaintiffs
contracted with the defendant to buy land on which to build a home. Metz,
714 A.2d at 448. They soon discovered that the defendant had concealed
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the fact that the lot was located on fill, which would increase the plaintiffs’
construction costs. Id. at 449. In addition to rescission of the sales
contract, the trial court awarded treble damages and attorneys’ fees
pursuant to the UTPCPL. The trial court reasoned that the plaintiffs were
entitled to restitution to return them to their previous position. Id. On
appeal, this court upheld the award of treble damages, noting that the
defendant’s refusal to resolve the matter when the defect was first
discovered forced the plaintiffs to bring suit, and adopting the reasoning of
the trial court that the measure of damages included the plaintiffs’ costs of
building a comparable house on a comparable lot, not located over fill,
including transactional costs and any increase in interest rates. The Metz
court stated, “In light of such outrageous conduct, to allow the rescission
merely of the sales agreement without imposing a corresponding penalty for
fraudulent behavior in consumer-type cases would do violence to the intent
and purpose of the law (UTPCPL) enacted specifically by the Legislature to
curb and discourage such future behavior.” Id. at 450.
In Agliori, the plaintiff, James Donahue, surrendered three whole life
insurance policies in exchange for a new universal life policy with a $40,000
death benefit. He subsequently discovered the terms of the universal life
policy were different than he had been led to believe by the defendant-
insurer, and brought suit seeking damages for fraudulent misrepresentation.
Mr. Donahue died approximately 12 years after purchasing the universal life
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policy and the executrix of his estate was substituted as the plaintiff. After a
non-jury trial, the trial court determined that the insurer had engaged in
deceptive acts in violation of the UTPCPL; however, the court found that
Mr. Donahue suffered no ascertainable loss where the insurer paid his estate
$40,000 plus interest upon his death. Therefore, Mr. Donahue had received
the benefit of his bargain and there were no actual damages. On appeal,
this court disagreed that Mr. Donahue had suffered no harm from the
insurer’s fraudulent conduct. First, we noted that the UTPCPL’s provisions
are to be construed liberally, consistent with its purpose of preventing and
deterring fraud. Agliori, 879 A.2d at 320 (citations omitted). In choosing
to exchange his three existing whole life policies for the universal life policy,
Mr. Donahue was relying on the fraudulent misrepresentations of the
insurance agent, George Weber:
The transaction that Mr. Donahue entered was based
on fraud and false information. The trial court found
that agent Weber contacted Mr. Donahue about
increasing his life insurance coverage and then gave
him false information, with the result that
Mr. Donahue cancelled his existing policies and
purchased a new one. The trial court determined
that Mr. Donahue relied on Mr. Weber’s
misrepresentations in making his decision to change
his life insurance coverage. Mr. Donahue did not
knowingly balance the positive and negative aspects
of the proposed new policy with his existing life
insurance coverage because of the
misrepresentations made by Mr. Weber. Under such
circumstances, an assessment of ascertainable loss,
as required by section 9.2(a) of the statute, can not
be made by examining only the terms of the new
policy. It is not sufficient to ask only if Mr. Donahue
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received what he sought in the transaction, because
the whole transaction was based on
misrepresentation-and therefore he did not know the
true cost to him and what he was potentially losing
upon entry into the transaction proposed by
Mr. Weber.
Id. at 320-321. Furthermore, this court found that the plaintiff’s evidence
suggested the estate would have received a greater benefit if Mr. Donahue
had never entered into the transaction. Id. at 321. This is because
although the $40,000 death benefit provided by the universal life policy
exceeded the death benefit of the three surrendered whole life policies,
Mr. Donahue lived for approximately 12 more years while the three
surrendered policies would have increased in value, exceeding $40,000 by
the time of his death. Id. The surrendered policies increased in value over
time due to reinvestment of the dividends toward the purchase of additional
coverage. Id. The Agliori court rejected the trial court’s determination that
Mr. Donahue did not suffer an ascertainable loss because his estate received
the benefits of the universal life policy that he wished to purchase:
“Ascertainable loss must be established from the factual circumstances
surrounding each case, and in Mr. Donahue’s case the evidence presented
indicates that his estate suffered an ascertainable loss due to
misrepresentations by Mr. Weber that induced Mr. Donahue to change his
life insurance policy.” Id. This court also reiterated the purposes of the
UTPCPL, which is deterrence of fraudulent behavior: “If the court permits
the appellee-defendants simply to repay what is owed the consumer under
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the fraudulently induced contract, the deterrence value of the statute is
weakened, if not lost entirely. We cannot accept such an evisceration of the
statutory goals.” Id. at 322.
The trial court did not err in applying Lesoon to the instant case. The
correct measure of damages is the amount necessary to place the insureds
in the position they would have been in if the bargain had been honored,
i.e., $200,000 total coverage at $50 per month plus an initial dump-in of
$5,400. There was testimony that despite Day’s promises, the actual
amount necessary to fully fund the policy at guaranteed rates is $240 per
month, not $50 per month. Appellants complain that the trial court failed to
account for investment returns. (Appellants’ brief at 39.) However, as
appellees point out, the policy was purchased for the death benefit, not for
its investment potential, and future investment returns are speculative.
(Appellees’ brief at 32.)
Appellants also argue that the trial court’s damages award of $125,000
did not comport with the findings of either party’s experts. However, the
trial court was not bound to accept either party’s damages calculations and
could make its own reasonable estimate of damages based on the evidence.
DeArmitt, supra. Here, the trial court explicitly found that appellants’
experts on damages did not offer credible testimony. (Trial court opinion,
2/24/14 at 2.) We agree with the trial court that the analysis in Lesoon, as
well as Agliori, provides the proper framework for assessing damages and
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the trial court’s damages award of $125,000 is approximately $10,000 less
than requested by the plaintiffs. We also note that Day’s conduct in this
case was fairly outrageous, intentionally misrepresenting the actual
premiums needed to fully fund the new policy. As stated above, the purpose
of the UTPCPL is to punish and deter such misconduct. We find no abuse of
discretion in the trial court’s damages calculation.
Next, in a related issue pertaining to damages, appellants claim the
trial court should have discounted the amount awarded to present value.
Appellants argue that the total offset method does not apply where inflation
has no impact on the amount of future premium payments as calculated by
the plaintiffs’ own expert. Appellants state that the plaintiffs’ expert
assumed the plaintiffs would need to make premium payments of $2,281 per
year in excess of what they had expected to pay each year ($600), and
these premium payments would remain the same every year regardless of
inflation. Therefore, appellants argue, the line of cases applying a total
offset method to loss of future earnings does not apply here.
In 1916, the United States Supreme Court held that,
when damages are based upon the deprivation of
future pecuniary benefits, any lump-sum award
should be discounted to the “present value” of those
benefits. Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. v.
Kelly, 241 U.S. 485, 36 S.Ct. 630, 60 L.Ed. 1117(1916). Implicit in this holding was the Court’s
assumption that any monetary award would be
safely invested by the awardee, and accordingly
would earn interest for the duration of the award.
Relying on the principle that damages should be
limited to compensating the injured party for the
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deprivation of future benefits, the High Court
determined that “adequate allowance [must] be
made, according to circumstances, for the earning
power of money.” Id. at 491, 36 S.Ct. 630. If the
earning power of the monetary damage award were
not taken into account, then the true value of the
award would be greater than the amount to which
the aggrieved party was entitled, resulting in over
compensation. Id. at 489, 493, 36 S.Ct. 630.
Although finding it “self[-]evident that a given sum
of money in hand is worth more than the like sum of
money payable in the future,” the Court declined to
set forth a formula that should be used to calculate
the discount of a damages award to present value.
Id. at 489, 36 S.Ct. 630. Rather, the Court left such
matters to “the law of the forum.” Id. at 490-91, 36
S.Ct. 630.
Helpin v. Trustees of the Univ. of Pennsylvania, 10 A.3d 267, 270-271
(Pa. 2010) (emphasis in original).
In Kaczkowski v. Bolubasz, 421 A.2d 1027 (Pa. 1980), our supreme
court adopted the “total offset method,” whereby the rate of interest and
rate of inflation essentially cancel each other out. “Under the total offset
method, a court does not discount the award to its present value but
assumes that the effect of the future inflation rate will completely offset the
interest rate, thereby eliminating any need to discount the award to its
present value.” Id. at 1036.
In support of our adoption of the “total offset
method” in allowing for the inflationary factor, we
note that it is no longer legitimate to assume the
availability of future interest rates by discounting to
present value without also assuming the necessary
concomitant of future inflation. We recognize that
inflation has been and probably always will be an
inherent part of our economy.
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Id. at 1037. “[C]ritics of the total offset approach fail to realize that future
inflation rates and future interest rates do not exist in a vacuum, but co-vary
significantly. It can be stated with assurance that present interest rates
depend at least in part upon expectations of future inflation.” Id. (citations
omitted).8
The Kaczkowski court also noted the efficiencies inherent in the total
offset method:
As to the concomitant goals of efficiency and
predictability, the desirability of the total offset
method is obvious. There is no method that can
assure absolute accuracy. An additional feature of
the total offset method is that where there is a
variance, it will be in favor of the innocent victim and
not the tortfeasor who caused the loss.
Id. at 1038.
An additional virtue of the total offset method is its
contribution to judicial efficiency. Litigators are freed
from introducing and verifying complex economic
data. Judge and juries are not burdened with
complicated, time consuming economic testimony.
Finally, by eliminating the variables of inflation and
future interest rates from the damage calculation,
the ultimate award is more predictable.
Id. See also Helpin, supra (applying the total offset approach to lost
future earned income partially derived from business profits).
8
Indeed, this court may take judicial notice of the fact that currently, both interest
rates and the inflation rate are at historic lows.
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Appellants are correct that both Helpin and Kaczkowski applied the
total offset method to lump-sum damages awards for lost future earnings.
However, we disagree with appellants’ characterization of the total offset
approach as a “narrow exception” to the general rule that future damages
need to be discounted to present value in order to avoid overcompensating
the plaintiff. (Appellants’ brief at 41.) As the court in Helpin remarked,
“Kaczkowski’s central assumptions--that inflation must be considered and
that, over time, inflation rate totally offsets interest rate--are not dependent
on the individual facts surrounding any specific lump-sum future damages
award.” Helpin, 10 A.3d at 276. In addition, although both Helpin and
Kaczkowski involved lost future income, we see no reason why the total
offset approach is inappropriate here, particularly given the remedial
purpose of the UTPCPL. Appellants have cited no case where damages for a
claim of fraudulent misrepresentation in connection with the sale of a life
insurance policy under the UTPCPL were discounted to present value. The
loss of the promised death benefit due to appellants’ fraudulent misconduct
is a present loss, not a future loss. (Appellees’ brief at 35.) The trial court
did not err in refusing to apply a discount rate to reduce the damages award
in this case.
Finally, appellants contest the trial court’s award of attorneys’ fees. As
stated above, the trial court awarded approximately $165,000 in attorneys’
fees, together with costs of over $5,000. Appellants argue that 1) the trial
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court failed to eliminate hours spent on non-UTPCPL claims, including claims
related to the 1986 policy and time spent preparing for the jury trial on the
common law fraud claim; 2) the case was not complex and the plaintiffs’
lead attorney has over 30 years trying similar cases, making the award
unreasonable; 3) plaintiffs’ counsel’s hourly rates were unreasonable and not
consistent with Pittsburgh rates and those of similar cities; and 4) the trial
court’s award of attorneys’ fees was not commensurate with the underlying
damages award and resulted in a windfall to plaintiffs’ counsel.
We review for an abuse of discretion. Neal v. Bavarian Motors,
Inc., 882 A.2d 1022, 1029 (Pa.Super. 2005), appeal denied, 907 A.2d
1103 (Pa. 2006), citing Skurnowicz v. Lucci, 798 A.2d 788, 796 (Pa.Super.
2002).
The law relevant to determining attorney fees under
the UTPCPL was well stated by our esteemed
colleague Judge Joseph A. Hudock in Sewak v.
Lockhart, 699 A.2d 755 (Pa.Super.1997):
In a case involving a lawsuit which
include[s] claims under the UTPCPL . . .
the following factors should be
considered when assessing the
reasonableness of counsel fees:
(1) The time and labor required,
the novelty and difficulty of the
questions involved and the skill
requisite properly to conduct the
case; (2) The customary
charges of the members of the
bar for similar services; (3) The
amount involved in the
controversy and the benefits
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resulting to the clients from the
services; and (4) The
contingency or certainty of the
compensation.
Id. at 762, citing Croft v. P. & W. Foreign Car
Service, 383 Pa.Super. 435, 557 A.2d 18, 20
(1989).
Id. at 1030-1031 (footnote omitted).
(1) there should be “a sense of proportionality
between an award of damages [under the UTPCPL]
and an award of attorney’s fees,” and (2) whether
plaintiff has pursued other theories of recovery in
addition to a UTPCPL claim “should [be] given
consideration” in arriving at an appropriate award of
fees.
Id. at 1031, quoting McCauslin v. Reliance Finance Co., 751 A.2d 683,
685-686 (Pa.Super. 2000).
The Court in McCauslin did not mandate a
proportion that would be the limit of acceptability,
but only suggested that there be a “sense of
proportionality” between the two amounts. Nor
would it have been appropriate for this Court to fix a
proportionate amount that would define the limit of
recoverable fees, since the General Assembly
specifically chose not to include such a factor in the
statute.
Id. (footnote omitted) (emphasis in original).
Appellants assert that the trial court failed to eliminate time spent
litigating non-UTPCPL claims. However, a review of the plaintiffs’ fee
petition indicates that they did attempt to remove all non-UTPCPL time as
required by Neal. Obviously, in a case such as this, where the plaintiffs are
proceeding on multiple theories of relief, including under the UTPCPL, it is
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difficult to parse out the time between the UTPCPL claim and other causes of
action. The parties went to a jury trial on the common law fraud claim
before proceeding to a bench trial on the UTPCPL claim. Much of the time
spent in pre-trial litigation would relate to both UTPCPL and common law
causes of action. See Northeast Women’s Center v. McMonagle, 889
F.2d 466, 476 (3rd Cir. 1989) (“In cases in which the plaintiff’s successful
and unsuccessful claims involve a common core of facts or related legal
theories, or where much of counsel’s time is dedicated to the litigation as a
whole, it is often impossible to divide counsel’s time on a precise claim-by-
claim basis.” (citations omitted)).
Second, appellants argue that this case was not particularly complex
and that plaintiffs’ counsel has 30 years of experience trying similar actions
against life insurance companies, alleging improper sales practices under the
UTPCPL. Appellants argue that the only question was whether the
defendants misrepresented the premium payments necessary to fully fund
the 1996 policy. We disagree with appellants’ characterization of the case as
simple. As appellees point out, this matter involved the sale of a variable
universal life policy, which is more complex than a whole life policy and
requires both an insurance license and a securities license to sell.
(Appellees’ brief at 40.) This matter involved highly technical issues
requiring expert testimony. (Id. at 41.) There were over 100 exhibits,
52 of which were admitted. (Id. at 39.) The trial court found the attorneys’
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fees were reasonable based on the amount of work done and the skill and
experience of the attorneys involved. (Trial court opinion, 2/24/14 at 3.)
Third, appellants complain that the hourly rates used to calculate the
award of counsel fees were unreasonable. According to appellants, plaintiffs’
counsel relied on rates charged in cities such as Philadelphia and
Washington, D.C., instead of cities comparable to Pittsburgh such as
Cleveland or Cincinnati. (Appellants’ brief at 49.) Plaintiffs’ counsel used a
rate of $400 for Kenneth Behrend, Esq., and $275 for his associate. (Id.)
Appellants claim that the average hourly rate for an experienced attorney in
Ohio is only $247. (Id. at 50.)
Appellees point out that appellants do not support their claim that the
hourly fee should be reduced to $247 with affidavits. (Appellees’ brief at
42.) The trial court considered the survey data, including current affidavits
from other plaintiff’s counsel in the Pittsburgh area, and concluded that the
fees were customary and justified. (Trial court opinion, 2/24/14 at 3.) We
also note that Mr. Behrend has been practicing law for over 30 years and
has developed much of the law in the area of life insurance sales practices,
successfully litigating numerous reported cases relied upon in this opinion
including Agliori, DeArmitt, Lesoon, Fazio, and Toy. (Plaintiffs’ fee
petition, 9/18/13 at 2-3 (RR at 3032-3033).) We will not disturb the trial
court’s discretion in this regard.
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Finally, appellants argue that the trial court’s award of attorneys’ fees
was well in excess of the underlying damages award and represented a
windfall or “bonanza” to plaintiffs’ counsel where they had a contingency fee
arrangement. (Appellants’ brief at 50.) Although the fee award exceeded
the damages award, we do not find it to be disproportionate under the facts
of this case. As the trial court stated, “the benefits provided to the Plaintiffs
by the attorneys were extremely significant, not only based on the amount
of the verdict, but also based on the nature of the claim (i.e. lost life
insurance coverage due to unfair trade practices).” (Trial court opinion,
2/24/14 at 3.) In Neal, supra, this court found a multiple of 11.5 of
UTPCPL damages to the attorney fee award was not disproportionate. Neal,
882 A.2d at 1031 n.8. In addition, we note that the fee-shifting statutory
provision of the UTPCPL is designed to promote its purpose of punishing and
deterring unfair and deceptive business practices and to encourage
experienced attorneys to litigate such cases, even where recovery is
uncertain. See Krebs v. United Refining Co. of Pennsylvania, 893 A.2d
776, 788 (Pa.Super. 2006) (“these cases hold generally that where the
General Assembly has departed from the “American Rule” (where each party
is responsible for his or her own attorneys’ fees and costs), by providing a
fee-shifting remedy in a remedial statute, the trial court’s discretionary
award or denial of attorneys’ fees must be made in a manner consistent with
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the aims and purposes of that statute.”), citing Krassnoski v. Rosey, 684
A.2d 635, 637-638 (Pa.Super. 1996).
Regarding the plaintiffs’ contingency fee arrangement, the trial court
observed that counsel agreed to take the case with no guarantee of
payment. (Trial court opinion, 2/24/14 at 3.) In addition, a contingency fee
agreement is just one of many factors to consider in arriving at an award of
a reasonable attorneys’ fee. Krebs, 893 A.2d at 791 (“it would be
inappropriate to apply a contingency fee agreement to create a ceiling (or
for that matter, a closed door) on the recovery of attorneys’ fees under a
fee-shifting provision of a remedial statute.”). For these reasons, we
determine the trial court did not abuse its discretion in calculating the award
of attorneys’ fees.
Judgment affirmed.
Musmanno, J. joins the Opinion.
Shogan, J. files a Concurring and Dissenting Opinion.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 5/19/2015
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