Bower v. Travelers Insurance

21 Ohio Law. Abs. 49, 1936 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1271
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 22, 1936
DocketNo 492
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 21 Ohio Law. Abs. 49 (Bower v. Travelers Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Bower v. Travelers Insurance, 21 Ohio Law. Abs. 49, 1936 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1271 (Ohio Ct. App. 1936).

Opinion

OPINION

By BARNES, PJ.

The original petition was attacked by motion on the part of the defendant, requesting that said petition be made more defini'o and certain by setting out a full and complete copy of the contract of insurance. This motion affirmatively set out the claim that the assertion in t-he petition that it was setting out a copy of the contract of insurance was not true, but, on the contrary, that standard provisions of said contract had been omitted and were not embodied in the petition. This affirmative matter in the motion was supported by affidavit on behalf of the defendant. The court, after hearing, sustained the motion in tc-to.

This action of the trial court is now complained of as being erroneous.

We are inclined to think that this motion should have been overruled, but, in view of the fact that plaintiff filed amended petition thereafter, t-he error would not be prejudicial.

Secs 11333 and 11334 GC prescribe the conditions under which copies of instruments may or must be attached to or made a part of a pleading. Under the basis of action, we do not think that the insurance policy is a written instrument for the unconditional payment of money within the meaning of the Code. In our judgment it stands in the same class as any other written contract. In actions on contract the general rule is that so much of the contract, or substance thereof, must be set forth as would constitute a right of recovery on the part of the pleader. Subsequent pleadings by way of answer or reply may include other and further provisions of the contract, if pertinent to the right of recovery.

Had plaintiff declined to plead further and by reason thereof the court had then [51]*51entered final judgment,- the ruling of the trial court on the motion, if erroneous, would have been prejudicial.

It is rather rare that the courts’ rulings on motions directed to pleadings are prejudicial. In the instant case when the plaintiff, following the ruling on defendant’s motion, filed an amended petition wherein was set forth other and further provisions of the insurance contract, it is manifest that no prejudicial error can arise by reason thereof.

Defendant filed a general demurrer to the amended petition, which, in the first instance, was overruled, but, on rehearing, was sustained. This ruling of the court was founded upon the claimed fact that it was manifest from the insurance contract and other factual allegations that the action was not commenced within the time prescribed in the insurance policy. This action of the court is also claimed by the plaintiff to be erroneous and is set out in the petition in error as a ground of error. Following this ruling of the court, the plaintiff filed a second amended petition wherein is set forth all the allegations of the first amended petition and, in addition thereto, additional facts whereby it is claimed that the defendant is estopped from raising the question of time within which action could be brought. By reason of this second amended petition and the nature thereof, there is no prejudicial error because of the court’s sustaining the demurrer to the first amended petition.

Counsel for defendant filed a demurrer to the second amended petition, which was sustained, and the plaintiff not desiring to plead further, final judgment was entered against the plaintiff dismissing her petition.

This is the final order from which error is prosecuted in this court.

The following brief summary of facts will disclose the nature of the controversy and the manner in which the controverted questions arise:

On and prior to the 29th day of December, 1923, the plaintiff Osa Schmidt Bower, was the wife of Peter G. Schmidt and their residence was located in Deer-trail, Colorado. Peter G. Schmidt at that time was in the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad Company in the capacity of a “coal chute man and pumper.” On this date, to-wit, December 29, 1923, The Travelers Insurance Company, of Hartford, Connecticut-, issued to him a policy of insurance which is termed “accident and sickness policy.” This policy is set out in full in the amended petition and also in the second amended petition. By the terms of the policy the plaintiff, who was then the wife of Peter G. Schmidt, was made the beneficiary. The policy provided that in the event of death from accidental injury the beneficiary would be paid the principal sum of Two Thousand Dollars ($2000.00) with the further provision that commencing with the second year of insurance 5% would be added annually to the principal sum. The total premium for the year was forty-five dollars ($45.00) and by reason of a paymaster’s order, signed by the insured and accepted by the company, this. first year’s premium was payable as follows:

$11.25 from the last half wages earned during the month of January, 1924;

$11.25 from the last half wages earned during the month of February, 1924;

$11.25 from the last half wages earned during the month of March, 1924;

$11.25 from the last half wages earned during the month of April, 1924.

These installment premiums, totaling $45.00, as per the paymaster’s order, were paid as per agreement. The insured, Peter G. Schmidt, suffered his fatal accident on January 25, 1925, and died immediately.

Immediately following the death of her husband, the plaintiff, in accordance with the provisions of the policy, notified the company of the death of her husband and at the ss,me time made a tender of the entire premium for the year 1925. The Insurance Company immediately returned the premium and advised the beneficiary that the policy was not in force for non-payment of premium, representing that the said lapse occurred on the 29th day of December, 1924.

It is the claim of counsel for the plaintiff, and this is adequately presented in the pleadings, that since the decedent had not completed his work for January, 1925, at the time of his death the first installment under the plan of the previous year would not be due and payable until the last half of the month’s wages was available for payment under the paymaster’s order.

It is the claim of the defendant that under the terms of the policy, a renewal must be applied for and consented to by the company. The renewal would be at such premium rates as the company had in force at the time of renewal, and if premium not paid in cash, new notes or order were to be given, as per the provisions of Paragraph d.

This pertinent part of the policy is set out in full and is found under the heading “Additional Provisions,” subdivision f:

[52]*52“(f) At the expiration of each twelve months, during which this policy shall have been maintained in force by payment of premiums, as herein specified, the insurance hereunder may be renewed with the consent of the Company and subject to all of the provisions and conditions of the policy, at the Company’s premium rates in force at the time of renewals, by giving a new note or order in accordance with additional provision (d).”

Subdivision d reads as follows:

“(d) The payments directed in a note or order (copy of which is attached hereto) given with the application for this policy are premiums for separate and consecutive periods and each applies only to its corresponding insurance period, as specified in the note or order.

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Related

Bush v. Columbus (City)
103 N.E.2d 274 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1951)
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105 N.E.2d 652 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 1950)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
21 Ohio Law. Abs. 49, 1936 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1271, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/bower-v-travelers-insurance-ohioctapp-1936.