Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. v. Moore

75 S.W.2d 329
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 19, 1934
DocketNo. 2540
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 75 S.W.2d 329 (Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. v. Moore) 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
Connecticut General Life Ins. Co. v. Moore, 75 S.W.2d 329 (Tex. Ct. App. 1934).

Opinion

WALKER, Chief Justice.

On November 12, 1918, appellant, Connecticut General Life Insui’ance Company, executed and delivered to “Gulf Oil Corporation (name subsequently changed to Gulf Oil Cor-, poration of Pennsylvania), or any of its subsidiary companies,” group policy No. 5039 by which all employees of the insured and its subsidiai-y companies wex*e entitled to life insurance and permanent total disability insurance in the sum of $1,000, to be increased at the rate of $250 per year of continuous employment of the individual employee until the maximum benefits amounted to $2,500. By the terms of this policy the employee was not required to make any contribution whatever towards the payment of the' premiums, all premiums being paid by the insured. By the conditions of this policy each employee was to be issued a certificate advising him of the benefits to which he was entitled under the policy. But this certificate created no new liability against appellant in fayor of the employee, nor added to nor changed in any way the conditions of the original policy. This policy covered the employees as of the date of its issuance and was also for the benefit of those to be employed in the future. In this connection it should be further said that every essential act necessary, to make this policy effective was performed in the city of Pittsburgh, Pa. Appellee, Evandy Moore, was employed by Gulf Refining Company, a subsidiary of Gulf Oil Company, on or about the 21®t day of July, 1922, and on July 21, 1923, being entitled on that date to the benefits of the master policy described above, there was issued to him by appellant, delivered to him by Gulf Refining Company, the following cer- • tificate:

“The Connecticut General Life Insurance’ Company of Hartford, Connecticut, certified that it has insured the lives of certain employees of the Gulf Oil Corporation of Penn-' sylvania and its subsidiary Companies by a' policy of insurance issued and delivered to the said Company.
“Under and subject to the terms and conditions of the above mentioned policy the life of Evandy Moore is insured for the initial sum of $1,090 payable to the beneficiary entitled thereunder to receive the same, if death occur while the insured is an employee of the said Gulf Oil Corporation of Pennsylvania or [330]*330a subsidiary company during the continuance of said policy.
“Connecticut General Life Insurance Company
“W. I. King, Secretary.
“No. 25771 Date Effective July 21, 1923.”

As we construe the statement of facts, the following notice was printed on this certificate:

“Gulf Oil Corporation of Pennsylvania Pittsburg, Pa.
“In presenting you with this certificate of insurance we wish to quote from the Gulf Oil Corporation’s letter of November 1st, 1918; * % * the insurance is furnished without any expense to the employee directly or indirectly; covers death from any cause, anywhere, as long as he is an employee of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries and it is in addition to any benefits to which-he might be entitled under a workmen’s Compensation Law.”

The original master policy remained in effect continuously from the date of its issuance and was. in effect on February 1, 1932, when appellee ceased to 'be an employee of Gulf Refining Company.

On April 1, 1925, appellant issued to “Gulf Oil Corporation of Pennsylvania and/or affiliated and/or subsidiary companies” a second group policy of insurance numbered G — 5534 for the benefit of the employees of the insured. The benefits of this policy were determined by the amount of the employees’ monthly income. It differed from the policy described above in the following material respects: While Gulf Oil Corporation and its affiliated and subsidiary companies were obligated to pay the full premium to appellant, yet it was contemplated, as shown by the language of the policy itself, that the employees of the insured were to pay a part of the premiums and the policy was not to be effective as to the individual employee until he had accepted this condition and had agreed to pay the portion of the premium properly chargeable against him, whereupon there was to be issued to him by appellant a certificate of insurance in the sum of $1,000 (or a greater sum according to the income of the employee) as an employee of the insured. As an employee of Gulf Refining Company, appellee accepted the conditions of this policy and there was issued to him by appellant, delivered to him by Gulf Refining Company, the following certificate of insurance:

“The Connecticut General Life Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, certifies that it has insured the lives of certain employees of the Gulf Oil Corporation of Pennsylvania and its Subsidiary Companies by a. policy of insurance issued and delivered to the said Corporation. Under and subject to the terms and conditions of the above mentioned policy the life of Evandy Moore is insured under the terms of a policy dated April 1, 1925, in the sum of $1,000, payable in the event of death to the beneficiary named herein, or in the event of total and permanent disability occurring before age sixty, to the insured himself. The policy expressly provides that this insurance shall cease whenever the above employee leaves, or cancels his payroll deduction order.
“Connecticut General Life Insurance Company
“W. I. King, Secretary.
“No. 7383 Date Effective April 1, 1925.
“Rules Governing Contributory Group Life Insurance.
“1. An employee of Gulf Oil Corporation of Pennsylvania, and/or affiliated and/or subsidiary company, becomes eligible for contributory Group Life Insurance after he has been employed continuously for one year.
“2. The amount of insurance is based on average fixed pay received by employee during months of January and July, as follows:
"3. * * * An employee must authorize The Gulf Companies to deduct the premium for his insurance monthly in advance at the annual fixed rate. If employee through neglect, or otherwise, fails to pay his premium in advance, his insurance is automatically can-celled at the end of the period for which the premium is paid, if he remains in The Gulf Companies’ employ. If an employee’s insurance is canceled other than by termination of employment, it can be reinstated thereafter only upon submission at the employee’s expense, of evidence of insurability satisfactory to the Insurance Company. * * *
“5. This certificate is issued to an employee in an amount based on his pay. Should he later be entitled to more insurance, he should make application and the additional amount will be added to this certificate by endorsement. * * *
“8. If a certificate is lost application should be made immediately for duplicate."

This suit was filed by appellee against appellant to recover the maximum coverage under the two certificates of insurance with interest, damages, and attorney’s fees, on allegation of total, permanent incapacity. On the verdict of the jury appellee was awarded $2,-500 under the first certificate described above [331]*331and $1,000 under the second certificate described above.

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75 S.W.2d 329, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/connecticut-general-life-ins-co-v-moore-texapp-1934.