Bell v. Hanover Fire Insurance

214 P. 340, 107 Or. 513, 1923 Ore. LEXIS 169
CourtOregon Supreme Court
DecidedApril 17, 1923
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 214 P. 340 (Bell v. Hanover Fire Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Oregon Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bell v. Hanover Fire Insurance, 214 P. 340, 107 Or. 513, 1923 Ore. LEXIS 169 (Or. 1923).

Opinion

BROWN, J.

Manifestly, it was error for the court to award judgment bearing interest from the [518]*518date of the issuance of the policies. From the plaintiff’s case, the loss did not occur until March 27,1920. Proof of loss was made at a later date. A valid provision of each policy reads:

“This company shall have sixty days after receipt of such sworn itemized statement of claim in which to verify, investigate such claim, and (or) make payment * * .”

The defendant Hanover Fire Insurance Company was liable to the plaintiff, if at all, for interest upon the amount due under the terms of the policies from the time they were payable, and not from the date of the policies, nor from the date of the alleged conversion of the trucks: 5 Joyce, Law of Insurance (2 ed.), § 3458. The author there states the rule sustained by ample authority to be that—

“The insurer is liable for interest upon the face of the policy from the time it was payable, not from the date of the fire; after the expiration of the stipulated sixty days from proof of the notice, and not from the time the loss is adjusted. If a time is fixed for payment, from that time; * * if the company waives the right to pay within the time fixed by denying all liability under the policy, interest will run from the date of loss.”

It is asserted that the interest of the plaintiff in the property is not that of unconditional and sole ownership, and that by reason thereof each policy is null and void. It is claimed that the plaintiff was but the mortgagee of the property; that the only interest that Bell ever had in the trucks was that of such mortgagee; that the property was transferred to him only as security for the sum of $6,500 loaned by him to the Diamond T Truck Sales Agency of Oregon. [519]*519We have set out in the statement the writing evidencing’ their transaction.

A well-established principle of law is that—

“When an absolute conveyance has been made upon an application for a loan, and an agreement is made to reconvey upon payment of the money advanced, as a general rule the transaction is adjudged to constitute a mortgage. In each case the purpose of the grantor was in the beginning to borrow money; and unless a change be shown in his intentions, it is presumed that any use he may have made of his real estate in connection with it was merely as a pledge to secure a loan.
“The parties having originally met upon the footing of borrowing and lending, although a different consideration be recited in the deed, it will be considered a mortgage until it be shown that the parties afterward bargained for the property independently of the loan.” 1 Jones on Mortgages (7 ed.), §266.

In the case at bar, the evidence establishes the relation of debtor and creditor, and not that of vendor and vendee. The plaintiff was neither buying nor selling automobile trucks. He was investing his funds in “automobile paper.” However, under the facts as they exist, the policies should not be held null and void on the ground that Seymour H. Bell was not the unconditional and sole owner of the two trucks described in the complaint on file herein.

The two insurance policies forming the basis of this action were procured from the defendant on January 17, 1920, and were issued to Diamond T Truck Sales Agency of Oregon, as the assured. Upon the face of the policies, it appears that neither of the automobiles was fully paid for. On the same day a “conditional sales contract endorsement” was [520]*520issued by the defendant Hanover Fire Insurance Company to Frank L. Waller as vendor, and naming the Diamond T Truck Sales Agency of Oregon as vendee. On January 19, 1920, a “conditional sales contract endorsement” was attached to each of the policies, wherein Seymour H. Bell appears as vendor and Diamond T Truck Sales Agency of Oregon, as vendee. The conditions contained in the indorsements are the same, and the language is identical except as to names and dates. The indorsement upon one of the policies to plaintiff reads as follows:

“ENDORSEMENT — Attached • to and forming part of Policy No. - issued by Hanover Fire Insurance Company to - Diamond T Truck Sales Agency of Oregon.
“It is understood that the automobile described in this policy has been delivered by the said Seymour H. Bell, vendor, to Diamond T Truck Sales Agency of Oregon, vendee, under a conditional sale contract under which the unpaid balance is $-, a copy of which shall be furnished to the company by the said vendor on demand.
“In consideration of Two and no-100 included in premium dollars ($2.00) additional premium, this company, subject to all the terms and conditions stated herein, and subject to all the terms and conditions of said policy (in so far as same do not conflict with the specific undertaking and conditions of this endorsement) also insures the said vendor against all direct loss or damage which he may sustain caused by the fraudulent concealment or disposal of said automobile by the vendee, not exceeding the amount named in said policy nor the actual cash value of the said automobile at the time of the said concealment or disposal, nor exceeding two-thirds of the contract purchase price thereof, and in no event to exceed the amount of the unpaid installments of the purchase price of said automobile, exclusive of [521]*521any interest thereon after default in the punctual payment of any thereof.
“Provided, however, that upon claim being made to this company for loss under this endorsement, the said vendor shall procure a warrant for the arrest of said vendee on a charge of larceny or embezzlement of said automobile, and shall render such assistance (not pecuniary) as may be required by this company in the prosecution of such charge. It shall also be the duty of said vendor in such case to make every reasonable effort to locate said automobile and, if located, to immediately take possession thereof, or upon the request of this company to institute legal proceedings to recover possession thereof.
“Provided, further, that the vendor shall, upon becoming aware of any act or omission on the part of the vendee which may be made the basis of a claim hereunder, forthwith give written notiee to this company, either by registered mail or by telegram addressed to this company at its offices in the city of San Francisco, and the vendor shall, within ten days after the giving of such notice, file with this company, signed and sworn statement showing items and dates of all amounts due from the vendee and setting forth all facts known by the vendor or believed by the vendor to exist concerning such act or omission on the part of the vendee, the dates thereof, the physical condition and actual cash value of such automobile at the time of such disposal or concealment, and the last known address of the vendee.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
214 P. 340, 107 Or. 513, 1923 Ore. LEXIS 169, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bell-v-hanover-fire-insurance-or-1923.