Allstate Insurance v. Austin

225 F. Supp. 523, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7574
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. South Carolina
DecidedJanuary 14, 1964
DocketCiv. A. No. 4012
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 225 F. Supp. 523 (Allstate Insurance v. Austin) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allstate Insurance v. Austin, 225 F. Supp. 523, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7574 (southcarolinawd 1964).

Opinion

WYCHE, District Judge.

This is an action under the Declaratory Judgments Act, 28 U.S.C.A. § 2201, in which the plaintiff seeks a determination of whether or not on March 31, 1961, the defendant Guaranty Insurance Exchange of Kansas City, Missouri, had in force and effect a valid automobile liability insurance policy issued to Roy Dalton covering his 1949 Plymouth, 4-door, Motor No. P18-121486. The plaintiff Allstate Insurance Company has an automobile insurance policy on the defendant Thacker’s automobile which was involved in an accident with Roy Dalton’s 1949 Plymouth near Landrum, South Carolina, on March 31, 1961, which policy has the standard uninsured motorist provision.

By agreement of counsel the sole question tried before me was whether on March 31, 1961, the defendant Guaranty Insurance Exchange of Kansas City, Missouri, had in force and effect a valid automobile liability insurance policy insuring Roy Dalton’s 1949 Plymouth. It was agreed that if this company did have such a policy in effect there would be no coverage under the Allstate uninsured motorist provision of Stewart F. Thacker’s policy.

In compliance with Rule 52(a), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 28 U.S.C.A., I find the facts specially and state my conclusions of law thereon as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. In December, 1960, C. C. Cothran, Jr. of the Cothran Insurance Agency of Greenwood, South Carolina, insured a 1953 Plymouth owned by the defendant Roy Dalton. This policy was written by the First Citizens Fire and Casualty Company. A portion of the premium was paid in cash by Dalton and the balance borrowed from the County Bank of Greenwood. The note to the County Bank of Greenwood was signed by Roy Dalton and indorsed by C. C. Cothran, Jr. This company either declined to issue the policy or cancelled it for the reason that Roy Dalton was constantly traveling throughout the southeast.

2. The Cothran Insurance Agency then placed the coverage with the Guaranty Insurance Exchange on January 6, 1961, and Dalton was given a certificate of insurance. Dalton at this time paid an additional premium and was given credit for the refund on the policy with the First Citizens Fire and Casualty Company.

[525]*5253. The Guaranty Insurance Exchange was paid in full its premium on Policy No. GA762163, in the amount of Fifty Two and 00/100 ($52.00) Dollars, as shown by payment records of the insurance agency and supported by the testimony of the witnesses. The automobile liability daily report is evidence of an automobile liability policy in the amount of the standard 10-20-5, effective for one year from January 6, 1961, insuring a 1953 Plymouth owned by Roy Dalton.

4. At the time this policy was issued Dalton gave Cothran a card which showed his permanent address as “Citizens Training Service, Inc., P. O. Box 2066, Danville, Virginia”.

5. On January 30, 1961, the liability daily report of Guaranty Insurance Exchange was indorsed to cover a 1949 Plymouth, Motor No. P18-121486 and eliminating a 1953 Plymouth. This automobile while being driven by Dalton was involved in an accident on March 31, 1961, near Landrum, South Carolina, with an automobile driven and owned by Stewart F. Thacker.

6. Under the note given to the County Bank of Greenwood Dalton was to make payments by the eleventh day of the month of Seven and 00/100 ($7.00) Dollars, per month for five consecutive months.

7. Dalton mailed in these payments for February and March, 1961, on or before the eleventh of the month.

8. The agent C. C. Cothran, Jr. knew that Roy Dalton was not a permanent resident of the Oregon Hotel, Greenwood, South Carolina, and knew that Dalton traveled throughout the southeast.

9. On March 1, 1961, Cothran Insurance Agency wrote Roy Dalton at the Oregon Hotel, Greenwood, South Carolina, advising him that his insurance was cancelled as of March 11, 1961, for nonpayment of premium, which letter was never received by Dalton.

10. On March 7, 1961, the Cothran Insurance Agency received a postal money order from Roy Dalton for Seven and 00/100 ($7.00) Dollars. On this same date, the agency mailed the following letter to Roy Dalton at Post Office Box 2210, Danville, Virginia: “We received your letter and money order today and we thank you. To keep your insurance in force we will have to have $19.00 more, as you have $7.00 credit and the total policy for 6 months will cost $26.00. Will you please forward the above amount or let us’ know if you want your refund of $7.00 refunded.” Dalton did not receive this letter. The Seven and 00/100 ($7.00) Dollar, payment was retained by the Cothran Insurance Agency until April, 1961.

11. On April 2, 1961, Dalton notified the Cothran Insurance Agency that he had been involved in an accident on March 31, 1961, near Landrum, South Carolina. Subsequently, Dalton received a letter from Cothran Insurance Agency dated April 3, 1961, returning the Seven and 00/100 ($7.00) Dollars, paid on March 7, 1961.

12. In the accident which occurred on March 31, 1961, near Landrum, South Carolina, the defendant Stewart F. Thacker was injured and his automobile was damaged. His wife Elsie Thacker, who was in his ear, sustained injuries as a result of which she subsequently died. Mary Jane Warwick and James Warwick who were also passengers in Thacker’s automobile, received injuries.

13. The monthly payments were obligations of Roy Dalton’s to the County Bank of Greenwood and were not any part of the insurance premium.

14. All exhibits objected to at the hearing before me have been considered evidence in the case.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND OPINION

1. Under the facts of this case the Guaranty Insurance Exchange had been paid in full its premium for Policy No. GA762163 and for this reason did not have a right to cancel the policy for nonpayment of premium. The agency’s records as well as the testimony of Roy Dalton and C. C. Cothran, Jr. of the [526]*526Cothran Insurance Agency, is to this effect. While C. C. Cothran, Jr. may have indorsed Dalton’s note to the County Bank of Greenwood, it cannot be said that Dalton is indebted to the Guaranty Insurance Exchange. Dalton’s obligation in this regard was to the bank and of no concern of the Guaranty Insurance Exchange. As was said in Maryland Casualty Company v. Conner, D.C., 200 F.Supp. 647 (1961), “Where full amount of premium on automobile liability policy is paid to insurer by the finance company at the time of delivery of policy to insured, insurer had no interest in installment payments made by insured to finance company. Crotts v. Fletcher Motor Co., 219 S.C. 204, 64 S.E.2d 540. In this case the annual premium had been paid in full to the plaintiff; the monthly payments to Palmetto by Conner were payments on his obligation to Palmetto and were in no part insurance premiums. McElmurray v. American Fidelity Fire Ins. Co., 236 S.C. 195, 113 S.E.2d 528.” In the case at bar Guaranty Insurance Exchange had no right to attempt to cancel the policy for nonpayment of premium.

2.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
225 F. Supp. 523, 1964 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7574, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allstate-insurance-v-austin-southcarolinawd-1964.