Cuccia v. Allstate Insurance Co.

250 So. 2d 60, 1971 La. App. LEXIS 5848
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 7, 1971
DocketNos. 4502, 4503
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 250 So. 2d 60 (Cuccia v. Allstate Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cuccia v. Allstate Insurance Co., 250 So. 2d 60, 1971 La. App. LEXIS 5848 (La. Ct. App. 1971).

Opinions

BARNETTE, Judge.

These consolidated cases arose out of an automobile accident which occurred on June 22, 1968. Allstate Insurance Company had issued a liability policy covering one of the automobiles but had given notice of cancellation effective February 25, 1968. It denied coverage on the date of the accident. Motion for summary judgment on behalf of Allstate was maintained and judgment rendered dismissing both suits as to Allstate. Anthony Cuccia, plaintiff in proceeding #4502 and defendant and third party plaintiff in proceeding #4503 appealed. The only issue on this appeal is whether Allstate effectively can-celled Cuccia’s insurance pursuant to LSA-R.S. 22:636 prior to the date of the accident.

Anthony Cuccia owned an Oldsmobile automobile, the purchase of which was financed by Bank of Louisiana in New Orleans. Allstate issued a policy of insurance on said automobile with the usual loss payable clause in favor of the mortgagee as its interest may appear, with coverage dates from October 4, 1967 through October 4, 1968.

As a result of the accident of June 22, 1968 the automobile was damaged beyond repair and treated as a total loss. In proceeding No. 4502, the insured, Cuccia seeks recovery of $1,300.00 being the alleged value of the automobile above the mortgage balance and medical payment benefits and other alleged losses.

In proceeding No. 4503 the plaintiff, Albert Porter, seeks recovery of damages from Cuccia and Allstate in solido for alleged personal injuries. In that proceeding Cuccia made Allstate a third party defendant for such judgment as might be rendered against him and, additionally, attorney’s fees for defense of the suit. Maryland Casualty Company intervened in that suit for recovery, as subrogee, of the amount paid its insured, Porter, under the uninsured motorist provision of Porter’s insurance policy. Maryland has not ap-. pealed and has made no appearance in this court and apparently has no interest in this appeal.

The pertinent facts, which are either admitted or shown by exhibits filed in support of or in opposition to the motions for summary judgment are as follows:

Allstate’s policy of insurance was issued to Cuccia at his then address, 617 Darlene Avenue, Metairie, Louisiana. In November, 1967, the exact date not stated, Cuccia allegedly moved to Hammond, Louisiana. He did not notify Allstate of his change of address, but did give notice to the Post Office to forward his mail. He stated by affidavit that certain mail was forwarded to him pursuant to his request.

[62]*62On February 12, 1968 a notice of cancellation for non-payment of premium was mailed to Cuccia at the address stated in the policy, 617 Darlene Ave., Metairie, La., notifying him of cancellation effective February 25, 1968. It was not returned to Allstate. Cuccia denied that it was received. He did not learn of the purported cancellation until after the accident and had made claim for benefits.

It is admitted that Bank of Louisiana in New Orleans was not given notice of cancellation and Allstate paid the bank the full amount of the mortgage balance.

After Cuccia’s alleged change of address he, on January 8, 1968, made request for an additional automobile coverage giving his address as 617 Darlene Avenue, Me-tairie. Other exhibits filed by Allstate indicate that all matters pertaining to his insurance gave the same address and the only address known to Allstate was 617 Darlene Avenue, Metairie, La.

Cancellation of insurance by the insurer must be in compliance with LSA-R.S. 22:636, which in pertinent part (at the time in question)1 was as follows:

“A. Cancellation by the insurer of any policy which by its terms is cancella-ble at the option of the insurer, or of any binder based on such policy, may be effected as to any interest only upon compliance with either or both of the following:
“(1) Written notice of such cancellation must be actually delivered or mailed to the insured or to his representative in charge of the subject of the insurance not less than five days prior to the effective date of the cancellation.
“(2) Like notice must also be so delivered or mailed to each mortgagee, pledgee, or other known person shown by the policy to have an interest in any loss which may occur thereunder.
“B. The mailing of any such notice shall be effected by depositing it in a sealed envelope, directed to the addressee at his last address as known to the insurer or as shown by the insurer’s records, with proper prepaid postage affixed, in a letter depository of the United States Post Office. The insurer shall retain in its records any such item so mailed, together with its envelope, which was returned by the Post Office upon failure to find, or deliver the mailing to the addressee.
“C. The affidavit of the individual making or supervising such a mailing, shall constitute prima facie evidence of such facts of the mailing as are therein affirmed. * * * ”

Appellant strenuously contends that the deposition, exhibits, answers to interrogatories admission and affidavits and his denial of having received notice of cancellation present genuine issues of material fact and hence summary judgment cannot be rendered. LSA-C.C.P. art. 966.

The facts as above related are amply supported by the affidavits, deposition and exhibits submitted in support of or in opposition to the motion for summary judgment. Appellant’s contention on this appeal is based on his non-receipt of the cancellation notice as asserted in his affidavit. Allstate does not contend that he received the notice but merely, as its affidavit asserts, that it was mailed to Cuccia “ * * * at his last address as known to the insurer or as shown by the insurer’s records * * * ”.

Neither disputes the other’s affidavit. The receipt or non-receipt of the notice is not an issue of material fact. The undisputed affidavit and exhibits filed by Allstate in support of its motion for summary judgment show a compliance with the statutory requirements. The burden then shifted to the insured to rebut the prima facie presumption of such fact.

[63]*63A question of compliance with the statutory requirement of notice of cancellation was an important issue in Breitenbach v. Green, 186 So.2d 712 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1966). The attempted notice of cancellation mailed to insured at the address shown in the policy was returned marked “unknown’’. The insurer placed the returned notice in its files and made no further attempt to notify the insured. The insured’s alleged employment was a factor in the reasons for cancellation, so insurer knew the insured’s business address.

It should be emphasized that the statute requires that the notice be “delivered” or “mailed” and if the insurer elects to mail the notice it must be to the insured’s “ * * * last address as known to the insurer or as shown by the insurer’s records * * (emphasis added). In Brieten-bach we held that mailing to the address shown in the policy was not enough when the insured knew it was no longer the address of insured and with little or no difficulty could have known the correct address, or made actual delivery of notice at her place of employment.

We must agree with counsel for appellant that the prima facie presumption created by the statute is rebuttable, but the presumption is not that the notice was received,

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Bluebook (online)
250 So. 2d 60, 1971 La. App. LEXIS 5848, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cuccia-v-allstate-insurance-co-lactapp-1971.