Corson v. Iowa Mutual Fire Insurance

88 N.W. 1086, 115 Iowa 485
CourtSupreme Court of Iowa
DecidedJanuary 31, 1902
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 88 N.W. 1086 (Corson v. Iowa Mutual Fire Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Iowa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Corson v. Iowa Mutual Fire Insurance, 88 N.W. 1086, 115 Iowa 485 (iowa 1902).

Opinion

Waterman, J.

1 [491]*4912 [487]*487Defendant is a mutual company, «organized under .section 1160, Code 1873, with its amendments, and tbe principal question discussed is whether it is subject to the requirements of section 1741, chapter 4, title 9, Code 1897. ' The determination of this issue will dispose of a number of minor matters which hinge upon if. That section is as follows: “All insurance companies or associations shall, upon the issue or renewal of any policy, attach to such policy, or indorse thereon, a true copy of any application or representation of the assured, which by the terms of such poliey are made a part thereof, ■or of the contract of insurance, or referred to therein, or which may in any manner affect the validity of such policy. The omission so to do, shall not render the policy invalid, but if any company or association neglects to comply with the requirements of this section, it shall forever be precluded from pleading, alleging, or proving any such application or representation or any part thereof or the falsity thereof, or any parts thereof in any action upon such poliey; and the plaintiff in any such action, shall not be required, in order to recover against such company or association, either to plead or prove such application or representation, but may do so at his option.” This provision was originally enacted by the eighteenth general assembly, being °chapter 211. In .terms, it is broad enough to include every insurance company or association of individuals doing an insurance business of any ldnd. It has been applied to fire insurance companies (Ellis v. Insurance Co., 64 Iowa, 507); to life insurance companies (Cook v. Association, 74 Iowa, 746) ; and to mutual benefit associations doing business on the assessment plan (Newman v. Association, 76 Iowa, 56; [488]*488McConnell v. Association, 79 Iowa, 757). The reasons for tire requirement also would seem to make it apply to any and all kinds of companies. But in compiling the Code of 1897 this section was placed In a chapter (chapter 4) relating to companies of a different character from defendant, and in the chapter (chapter 5) of the same title devoted to tire organization and government of mutual companies no such provision appears. . It does appear however, in substance, also in the chapter (chapter 8, section 1819) relating to ordinary life insurance companies, and also1 in that covering mutual benefit insurance (chapter 9, section 1826). This omission of the provision in chapter 5, together with certain language in said chapter contained, and to which we shall soon call attention, is thought to indicate that the tei’ins of section 1741 were not to apply to mutual companies of defendant’s class. In adopting section 1741, the general assembly re-enacted a statute in the exact terms in which it had been held by this court to apply to all insurance companies.' We cannot, upon mere implication, say that body intended to' shear it of any force it had when so made use of. Nor does the fact, that it was given a place in other chapters, where, under its former construction it would be superfluous, amount to anything more than an argument which is met by the broad terms of the section, and overcome, when we add to the language of this law the apparent reasons for its enactment, which apply equally to all kinds of insurance companies. There is, however, in chapter 5, which relates to the organization of mutual fire insurance companies, this language: “Any number of persons may without regard to the provisions of the preceding chapter, enter into contracts to and with each other for their insurance from loss or damage from fire, etc.” Section 1759. It is thought that this language exempts mutual companies from any of the provisions of chapter 4-, title 9, of the present Code. Substantially the language of section 1759 is to be found in the Code of 1873, and yet, in Brad [489]*489ford v. Insurance Co., 112 Iowa, 495, we held that prior to the Code of 1897 mutual fire insurance companies were subject to another provision of chapter 211, Acts Eighteenth General Assembly, relating to the time of bringing actions •on policies. That it was the intention of the general assembly to exempt this class of mutual companies from many of the provisions of chapter 4, .title 9, must be admitted. This is apparent from the fact that such provisions are inconsistent with the character and object of such companies; for instance, the method of organization of stock companies and certain general mutual companies, the provisions as to capital, subscriptions to stock, dividends, annual reports, etc. These do not relate to.companies of the character of defendant, and, under section 1759, are expressly made not to apply to them. On the other hand, notwithstanding section 1759, it must be conceded that some provisions of the preceding chapter do apply to mutual companies, as, for example, section 1690, which reads: “No company shall be organized to do business upon both stock and mutual plans; nor shall a company organized as a stock company do business Upon the plan of a mutual company; nor-shall a company -organized upon the mutual plan, do business or take risks upon the stock plan.” All of the provisions of chapter 4 relate to the method of organization, management, and supervision of companies different in character from those provided for in chapter 5, save sections 1741-1744, inclusive, and, except section 1743, these are taken from chapter 211, Acts Eighteenth General Assembly, and all of them relate to the general manner of doing insurance business, and making’ proofs and bringing suit, in case of loss. Chapter 4, with the exception of the four sections mentioned, clearly ought not to apply to companies organized as defendant was, and, just as clearly, the four sections should. They relate to general matters concerning all kinds of companies alike, arid, when given a place in the Code of 1897, the [490]*490three which were taken from a former law did so apply. Appellant claims the matter under discussion has already been settled by decisions of this court. We pass now to the cases relied upon: State v. Iowa Mut. Aid Ass’n, 59 Iowa, 125, has no reference to chapter 211, Acts Eighteenth General Assembly. It holds only that two sections of the Code of 1873, ¡.’dating solely to methods of organization (sections 1161-1163) did not apply to companies organized under section 1160, which was the equivalent of present section 1759. In Corey v. Sherman, 96 Iowa, 114, in the fourth-paragraph of the opinion, some language is used which, upon its face, supports appellant’s contention. Speaking-of a certain provision of section 1146, Code 1873, relating to premium notes, and which provision is now a part of’ chapter 4, title 9, Robinson, J., who delivers the opinion, says it does not apply to companies organized as-defendant here was, for that the chapter in which section 1146 appears has no reference' to such mutual companies. It will be noticed that now, as well as under the Code of 1873, the law provides for-the organization of two kinds of mutual companies, not at all clearly distinguishable in character, save,, perhaps by their methods of doing business. At present one may be organized under chapter 4, the other under chapter 5, title 9, of the Code. Had it not been for certain concessions of counsel, it may well be questioned whether the-company in the Corey-Sherman Case would have been placed in the latter class. But, however that may be, the language-relied upon by.

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Bluebook (online)
88 N.W. 1086, 115 Iowa 485, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/corson-v-iowa-mutual-fire-insurance-iowa-1902.