American Financial Corp. v. Fireman's Fund Ins.

236 N.E.2d 810, 14 Ohio Misc. 104, 43 Ohio Op. 2d 212, 1966 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 214
CourtCourt of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County
DecidedDecember 7, 1966
DocketNo. A-209007
StatusPublished

This text of 236 N.E.2d 810 (American Financial Corp. v. Fireman's Fund Ins.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Common Pleas of Ohio, Hamilton County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Financial Corp. v. Fireman's Fund Ins., 236 N.E.2d 810, 14 Ohio Misc. 104, 43 Ohio Op. 2d 212, 1966 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 214 (Ohio Super. Ct. 1966).

Opinion

Hess, J.

This cause is submitted to the court on the pleadings, evidence, stipulations, arguments and briefs of counsel.

Facts

There is no material dispute on the facts presented to the court.

[105]*105On April 3, 1964, a home located on Lot No. 20 Meadowville Estates Subdivision. in Carlisle, Ohio, was destroyed by wind. The American Home Savings Association had a mortgage interest in this property.

Counsel for the plaintiffs and defendant have presented the following stipulation of fact:

I
“The parties by the signature of their counsel hereto waive the submission to a jury of the matters in controversy herein between them and agree to the trial of this cause by the court.
H
“The court is respectfully requested to separately state its findings of fact and conclusions of law.
Ill
“All parties hereto are corporations.
IY
‘ ‘ On September 19,1963, defendant issued to plaintiffs as insureds, for a consideration, its policy of fire insurance in the amount of $50,000.00, to which was attached and made a part an errors and omissions endorsement form. A copy of the policy with all endorsements is attached, made a part hereof and marked Exhibit A.
V
“On April 3, 1964, while the said policy was in full force and effect, a house described as Lot No. 20, Meadow-view Estates Subdivision, Carlisle, Ohio, on which American Home Savings Association was mortgagee, was destroyed by windstorm.
“The insurance, carried by Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, on said premises had been cancelled for nonpayment of premium as of March 5, 1964, and notice of cancellation was given before that date by the insurer, to the owner of the property and to American Home Savings Association. Copy of notice of cancellation and letter of inquiry from American Home Savings Association addressed to mortgagors are attached, made a part hereof and Marked Exhibit B. The mortgagors thereafter were adjudicated bankrupt and any obligation on the note [106]*106secured by Said mortgage was discharged in bankruptcy.
“The loss by reason of the destruction of the said property amounts to $10,000.00.
VI
“The circumstances surrounding the matter are fully set forth in the statement of Iver Wilson, attached hereto, made a part hereof and marked Exhibit C.
VII
“It was the duty of Iver Wilson, in the regular course of her employment, to handle matters of lapsed insurance for American Home Savings Association, to see* that insurance was kept in force either by renewing any existing policy or by procuring insurance coverage at once where policies lapsed or were cancelled on real estate of which American Home Savings Association was mortgagee to protect its security.
vin
“Claim has been made by plaintiffs against defendant under said'policy. Said claim has been declined.”
Exhibit C referred to in paragraph VI of the stipulation of fact reads as follows:
“May 4, 1964
Cincinnati, Ohio
Statement
“My name is Iver L. Wilson. I am 49 years of age, married, and live with my family at 3021 TUnmont Ave., Cincinnati 8, Ohio. For the past 1% years I have been employed by the American Home Savings Assoc., as a teller, at their 523 Walnut Street, Cinti. location. That is, I was hired as a teller. Then, last June 18, 1963, I changed my job classification to that of a bookkeeper and my duties were such until about one week ago when I was changed back to a teller again. My duties as' a bookkeeper included daily posting of the savings and loan accounts, preparing the necessary weekly and monthly reports, payment of the taxes and insurance on loans, where necessary, which included payment of insurance premiums covering real property my company had loaned [107]*107money on, where the mortgagor or owner of the real property had allowed their insurance policy, protecting both their and my company’s interest, to expire. Sometime before March 5,1964,1 cannot say exactly when, I received a ‘Notice of Cancellation’ form from the Ohio Casualty Insurance Co., informing that insurance coverage on property on lot No. 20 of Meadowdale Subdivision, owned and mortgaged by Marion L. and Helen Sherman, through my company, was to expire on March 5, 1964. I recall that the notice of cancellation was dated Feb. 21, 1964; but, as I said, I do not recall when I received it. On March 5, 1964, I wrote the homeowner, Mr. Sherman, that his homeowners policy with the Ohio Casualty Insurance Co. had already expired, and that it would be necessary that he secure another. I do not recall whether I wrote this letter in the morning or afternoon of March 5,1964. When I wrote the letter, I realized the policy with Ohio Casualty had already expired. In a normal circumstance such as this, the notice of cancellation is received well in advance of the policy expiring and the procedure is to inform the owner (such as Mr. Sherman) of the necessity of securing other insurance. Then, after 10 days, if the owner is not heard from someone such as I secures the necessary coverage and apply the cost of the policy to the owners loan, charging the amount of the principal of the owners loan. I have done this on more than one occasion. My intentions were not to wait the full 10 days in Mr. Sherman’s case, as I realized his policy had expired (had already expired) when I wrote the letter on March 5,1964. However, shortly after I wrote this letter the file concerning Mr. Sherman’s loan, was taken from me by Shirley Rapier, my superior and office manager. I believe she gave the file to a Mr. Bruce Burton who took the file to the Loveland, Ohio, office of The Hunter Savings and Loan Co. The reason for this was that Mrs. Rapier had received notice that Mr. Sherman was in the process of declaring bankruptcy; and the file was so transferred to Loveland so that my company’s interests could be protected by management there. After [108]*108the file left my hands I forgot about the incident and failed to follow up my letter of March 5, 1964. I was unaware the file had been taken from my desk by Mrs. Rapier.
‘ ‘ I have read the above statement of two pages, eleven lines and five words and it is true. There is nothing I wish to add.
Witnessed
William S. Durkin
Shirley A. Rapier Iver L. Wilson”

The policy of insurance referred to in the stipulation carried the following pertinent provisions: (see Exhibit A for entire policy).

Defendant alleges the insuring agreement A reads as follows:

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Related

Myers v. John Hancock Life Ins. Co.
140 N.E. 504 (Ohio Supreme Court, 1923)

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Bluebook (online)
236 N.E.2d 810, 14 Ohio Misc. 104, 43 Ohio Op. 2d 212, 1966 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 214, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-financial-corp-v-firemans-fund-ins-ohctcomplhamilt-1966.