Camden Fire Ins. Ass'n v. Brown

109 S.W.2d 280, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 1115
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJune 11, 1937
DocketNo. 13558.
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 109 S.W.2d 280 (Camden Fire Ins. Ass'n v. Brown) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Camden Fire Ins. Ass'n v. Brown, 109 S.W.2d 280, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 1115 (Tex. Ct. App. 1937).

Opinion

BROWN, Justice.

Appellee alleged that he furnished the materials and labor and installed the electrical wiring, fixtures, and appliances for what was known as the Sylvan Night Club, situated on the Dallas pike near the city of Arlington; that he was not paid the full price for same by the owners, Cecil Lively, E. L. Thomas, and Albert Davis; same being $3,220.97, but that a balance was due him in the sum of $1,145.97; that he had an equitable and constitutional lien by reason of being an original contractor and ma-terialman, and that he fixed a statutory lien by filing same in the manner prescribed by law, in the office of the county clerk of Tar-rant county, on September 28, 1934 (his oral contract having been made with the owners on or about June .1, 1934); that he applied to appellant’s agent for an insurance policy to protect him against loss by fire, on or about June 1, 1935, and such policy was issued in the sum of $1,100. The policy shows a coverage of “$1100.00 on electric fans, electric wiring and electric fixtures,” and none on the building. He alleged that he advised appellant’s agent of the facts concerning his debt, claim, and lien and that the agent issued the policy with full knowledge of the facts; that he relied upon the statements of such agent that the policy as written and delivered would protect him against loss by fire. He alleged that the agent was guilty of fraud in writing the policy as same was written. He prayed for a reformation of the policy so as to make same speak the true contract as made by the parties and alleged the preparation of same through mutual mistake. The contract says nothing of any debt, or lien, but simply runs to appellee just as if he were the owner of the property insured. He alleged that the Sylvan Night Club was destroyed by fire on or about. June 26, 1935; that he gave notice, proof of loss, etc., to appellant, demanded payment, and that liability was disclaimed.

Appellant answered by general denial; that, under the policy, the interest of the in *282 sured (which was not unconditional and sole) was not such that appellee could recover; that the policy had been canceled prior to the fire; that the insured’s policy only covers the amount of $1,100, and contains provisions limiting' the liability to three-fourths of the cash value of each item insured; that other policies of insurance were issued and outstanding against the same property; that appellant has denied liability, and that no premium was paid by appellee, and prayed for judgment for such premium, in the event judgment was rendered against it. It also pleaded: “That if defendant should be held liable herein, it says that it is entitled to succeed to all of plaintiff’s rights against those persons liable for plaintiff’s debt, and it asks in that contingency to be subrogated to all of plaintiff’s rights to the extent of any liability found against it, and prays for general relief.”

Appropriate allegations were made by ap-pellee in answer to this pleading.

The case was tried to a jury, and, on the issues submitted and the answers returned, the trial court rendered judgment for ap-pellee against appellant in the sum of $1,100 with 6 per cent, interest from October 1, 1935.

Defendant below, and appellant here, brings the cause before us on a proper appeal. There are 57 assignments of error followed by 24 propositions.

To copy each assignment of error and proposition would unduly prolong an opinion that will of necessity be quite lengthy and we will endeavor to give appellant’s contentions as tersely as possible.

(1) That appellee had no insurable interest in the property because it had been sold to innocent purchasers.

We find no such plea interposed by appellant or by any other party, but do find a -written release and disclaimer executed by D. L. Thompson, the person to whom the last deed was executed. Appellant introduced in evidence a deed from J. T. Brant-ley to Loy Thomas, dated May 15, 1934; a deed from E. L. Thomas and Loy Thomas to A. G. Watson, acknowledged November 27,1934; and a deed from Watson and wife to D. L. Thompson, acknowledged February 8, 1935.

In the first place, we do not believe that the issue of innocent purchaser was ever properly presented to the trial court, or is now properly presented to us. But so far as the record shows the purchasers all knew and recognized appellee’s rights and, as shown, the last record owner, who held title at the time of the destruction of the property, expressly recognized appellee’s rights and disclaimed all interest in the policy of insurance. That appellee had a constitutional lien on the premises we have no doubt, and we believe that the filing of his affidavit with the county clerk on September 24, 1934, was such a substantial compliance with the statutes (Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. art. 5452 et seq.) that it was altogether sufficient to put all subsequent purchasers on notice of appellee’s lien, and that the question of innocent purchaser, even if properly raised, would be no bar to appellee’s right to recover, under the facts in this case.

(2) That appellee, having no insurable interest, cannot recover.

The jury found that appellee had an interest and that he disclosed the full facts to appellant’s agent when the policy of insurance- was applied for and written, and that such agent told appellee that the contract would be written to cover loss by fire of appellee’s interest, and further found that appellee informed appellant’s said agent that a number of other creditors were taking out individual policies of insurance to cover their debts and liens.

Such a lien as appellee had is insurable. Sun Mutual Ins. Co. v. Tufts, 20 Tex.Civ.App. 147, 50 S.W. 180; Canfield v. Newman (Tex.Civ.App.) 265 S.W. 1052.

(3) That appellee had no insurable interest bécause he did not fix his lien prior to sale to inno'cent purchasers.

(4) That he had no insurable interest because he did not fix his statutory lien before a sale to innocent purchasers.

We believe we have answered these contentions supra.

(5) The jury having found that the insurance was to apply only to the wiring, fans, and fixtures installed by appellee, for which he had not been paid, and there being no evidence establishing the facts necessary for a recovery, the judgment is erroneous.

Appellant did not seek to reform the contract of insurance and raised no such issue as that here presented.

The policy covers all of the electrical wiring, fans, and fixtures and in no wise is limited to those not paid for.

On the evidence introduced the jury found the total amount of appellee’s debt, the total sum paid him, and the balance owing, which was a few dollars more than the *283 face of the policy, and found that such appliances, fans, wiring, and fixtures were worth $2,100 at the time of the fire in which they were destroyed., The testimony is that the night club was destroyed by fire.

We believe the contention is not well taken.

(6) That appellee did not show the amount of loss by fire to the property insured.

'We have disposed of this contention by what was said in reference to appellant’s fifth contention. Destroyed does not mean injured or damaged.

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Bluebook (online)
109 S.W.2d 280, 1937 Tex. App. LEXIS 1115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/camden-fire-ins-assn-v-brown-texapp-1937.