Community Bank v. McKenzie

230 S.E.2d 788, 32 N.C. App. 68, 1977 N.C. App. LEXIS 1857
Court of Appeals of North Carolina·Decided January 5, 1977·No. No. 7618DC598·Published

Opinion

MORRIS, Judge.

Although appellant excepted to several of the findings of fact and conclusions of law, it brings forward only two. Those [72] not brought forward and argued in appellant’s brief are deemed abandoned. Rule 28(a), North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure.

Appellant first contends that the trial court committed reversible error in “ . . . concluding as a matter of law that defendant Emanuel was a real party in interest to the insurance contract alleged in this matter and allowing recovery by Eman-ual on the contract.”

The conclusion of law to which defendant excepts and which it assigns as error is numbered 5 and is as follows:

“The said Single Premium Credit Life and Accident and Health Insurance Policy was written to protect the plaintiff in the repayment of its loan in the event of the disability of McKenzie, and also said policy was written to protect McKenzie and also Emanuel from suffering loss in the event that McKenzie became disabled and unable to be gainfully employed. Said policy, therefore, was written for the protection not only of the plaintiff, but also for the protection of the two defendants herein who were obligated under said promissory note. In addition, the premium for said policy was included in the promissory note, and the obligation to pay the premium thereof became the obligation of both McKenzie and Emanuel. The insurance in question, therefore, was written for the benefit of the creditor and also for the benefit of each of the two debtors in connection with said loan. The defendant Emanuel, therefore, is a real party in interest and has the legal right to assert a claim against the third-party defendant in connection with benefits to be paid under said insurance policy.”

Appellant correctly contends that G.S. 1-57 requires that every action be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest. It argues that Emanuel cannot be classified as the real party in interest because he does not fit the definition of having an interest in the subject matter of the litigation and not merely an interest in the action, Rental Co. v. Justice, 211 N.C. 54, 188 S.E. 609 (1936), and because a payment to him would not protect defendant from the claims of third parties. Home Indemnity Co. v. State Bank, 233 Iowa 103, 8 N.W. 2d 757 (1943). It argues that, assuming it is obligated under the policy, it would not only be obligated to third party plaintiff [73] Emanuel, it would also be subject to suit by the bank should Emanuel avoid execution on the judgment against him.

We think appellant’s arguments are effectively answered by Newsom v. Insurance Co., 4 N.C. App. 161, 166 S.E. 2d 487 (1969). There, the plaintiff administratrix sought to recover from defendant insurance company the amount due on a conditional sales contract executed by her husband for the purchase of an automobile from S & E Motors. The conditional sales contract provided that the time balance included the amount of the premium for creditor life insurance on the life of the purchaser. The purchaser, plaintiff’s husband, died while the creditor life insurance was still in full force and effect. Defendant insurance company was notified of his death but refused to pay the balance owing on the conditional sales contract. Subsequently GMAC repossessed the automobile because of failure to pay the amount due. Defendant demurred on the ground that GMAC and not plaintiff was the real party in interest. The trial court sustained the demurrer. We reversed. Judge Parker, in an opinion in which Mallard, C.J., and Brock, J., (now C.J.), concurred, said:

“The fact that the insured’s estate, plaintiff herein, is not named directly as beneficiary in the insurance.policy issued by the defendant company, is no bar to plaintiff’s right to maintain this suit. North Carolina has long recognized the right of one for whose benefit a contract has been made to sue to enforce its terms, even though he is not directly a party to the contract. Lammonds v. Manufacturing Co., 243 N.C. 749, 92 S.E. 2d 143. Here the creditor life insurance was clearly for the benefit of the insured’s estate in that the proceeds of the policy were, by contractual and statutory provision, to be applied to discharge an indebtedness of the estate. If defendant insurance company fears it might incur double liability, both to the named beneficiary and to the insured’s estate, it can protect itself by way of interpleader. G.S. 1-73; 1 McIntosh, N. C. Practice and Procedure, § 728.” Id. at 168-69, 166 S.E. 2d at 492.

Here the third party plaintiff obligated himself to pay the premium. Indeed he paid a portion of the premium in the installments which he paid when Emily McKenzie defaulted, the premium having been added to the loan. The protection he seeks is that for which he paid, and it is the risk which the [74] third party defendant insurer agreed to assume. This assignment of error is overruled.

By. assignment of error No. 3, based on exceptions 4, 6 and 8, appellant takes the position that the court erred in allowing Emanuel to recover against the third party defendant without finding facts as to the terms of the alleged contract of insurance. While it is true that third party plaintiff did not offer into evidence the contract of insurance issued, nevertheless, there is sufficient evidence in the record to support the finding of fact to which appellant excepts. The court found that under the policy, the insurance company became obligated to make monthly payments of $113.64 on the note in question in February 1974, under McKenzie’s disability, and to continue making those payments during her disability. When those payments were not made, the bank, as it had a right to do, declared the unpaid balance of $2,727.36 immediately due and payable. The court further found that by virtue of the policy and McKenzie’s disability, the insurance company became obligated to pay the amount of $2,727.36.

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Community Bank v. McKenzie, 230 S.E.2d 788, 32 N.C. App. 68, 1977 N.C. App. LEXIS 1857 (N.C. Ct. App. 1977).

230 S.E.2d 788 (Community Bank v. McKenzie) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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Newsome v. Prudential Insurance Co. of America
166 S.E.2d 487 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina, 1969)
Lammonds v. Aleo Manufacturing Company
92 S.E.2d 143 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1956)
Home Indemnity Co. v. State Bank
8 N.W.2d 757 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1943)
Choate Rental Co. v. Justice
188 S.E. 609 (Supreme Court of North Carolina, 1936)