Daugherty v. Alliance Casualty Co.

271 Ill. App. 71, 1933 Ill. App. LEXIS 328
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedApril 11, 1933
DocketGen. No. 8,733
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 271 Ill. App. 71 (Daugherty v. Alliance Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Daugherty v. Alliance Casualty Co., 271 Ill. App. 71, 1933 Ill. App. LEXIS 328 (Ill. Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

Mr. Justice Shurtleff

delivered the opinion of the court.

This is an action in assumpsit, brought by Robert C. Daugherty, appellant, against the Alliance Casualty Company, a corporation, appellee. The purport of the policy is that it contracts to pay to the assured certain losses suffered by appellant in the operation of his taxicab business, by accident, collisions, etc., and for any losses suffered by appellant on account of injuries to his passengers.

The declaration then alleges that on November 6, 1930, at 9:30 a. m., while the policy was in force, one M. P. Burton, a passenger for hire in one of the plaintiff’s taxis covered by the policy, sustained by accident bodily injuries by the overturning of the vehicle.

The plaintiff gave immediate notice; defendant denied liability; suit was brought; defendant after notice refused to defend; plaintiff defended; there was a judgment for $3,500 which plaintiff later compromised for $1,750; the court costs were $33.92 and attorneys’ fees were $200, all of which the plaintiff paid.

The cause of action is averred to be a breach of defendant’s promise to pay these items, and plaintiff avers full performance on his part, and negatives the matters forbidden.

The declaration then sets forth that there was an attempted cancellation of the policy at 10 o ’clock a. m. of the same day, after the accident in question had occurred, and that this occurred by a mutual mistake on the part of both parties to the contract, and without any notice of the accident or injury, which purported cancellation is averred to be null and void.

To this declaration appellee filed a special plea, as follows: “1. That the plaintiff ought not to have his aforesaid action against it, the defendant, because it says, that on, to-wit: November 6, 1930, at about 9 o’clock a. m., that defendant, Alliance Casualty Company- through its agent A. G. Gouthiere, notified the plaintiff that the defendant desired to cancel its said policy with him, and the said A. Gr. Gouthiere then and there notified the plaintiff that he thought he could get another company to take the risk and asked the plaintiff if it was satisfactory to do so, and the plaintiff then and there consented that the said A. G. Gouthiere see if he could get another company to take the risk.

“2. That said A. G. Gouthiere interviewed the agent of the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, and the two agents and the plaintiff thereupon had a conversation, and that it was thereupon mutually agreed that the defendant’s policy should be cancelled as of 12:01 a. m. of that day, and that the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company would issue its policy of the same hour, and that the said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company would issue its policy in substitution of and in lieu of the policy then held by the plaintiff of this defendant, and that the said policy of the said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company should be effective as of the same date as the cancellation of the policy of the defendant, that is to say: 12:01 a. m. of November 6, 1930, and that in consideration of the cancellation of the policy of this defendant as of the hour and date aforesaid,, and of the putting into effect of the policy of the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, as of the same hour and date, that this defendant would refund to the plaintiff the prepaid premium on said policy from the hour and day of said cancellation, and that the said plaintiff would pay to the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, the premium for its policy from the said hour and date, that is, to-wit: 12:01 A. M. of November 6, 1930.

“3. And the defendant further avers that in pursuance of said mutual agreement by and between the parties as aforesaid, and for the considerations aforesaid, the said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company did receive the usual premium from the plaintiff, and issued to him its policy of insurance covering the same risk as the policy of this defendant that was can-celled, effective as of date 12:01 A. M. on November 6, 1930, and said policy was delivered to and accepted by the plaintiff in lieu of the policy of this defendant, and the plaintiff paid said premium to the said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, and thereupon and concurrently therewith this defendant did pay to and refund to the plaintiff the prepaid premium on the policy of insurance set forth in the declaration as of date of cancellation, to-wit: 12:01 A. M. on November 6,1930.

“4. Thereupon the plaintiff claimed to this defendant that he had lost or misplaced the policy of insurance sued on in this case, and thereupon plaintiff executed and delivered in writing to this defendant, a statement and release in words and figures, as follows:

“ ‘Lost Policy Or Renewal Certificate
“ ‘Alliance Casualty Company
“ ‘Policy CA-3006

“ ‘Insured R. C. Daugherty d/b/a Yellow & Checker Cab Co.

Effective date of policy December 17,1929.

Effective date of cancellation November 6, 1930, at 12:01 A. M.

I hereby certify that the above described automobile policy has been lost and in consideration of the refund or remission of the return premium thereon, which "is hereby acknowledged, I hereby release the Company from all liability under the provisions of said policy which is hereby cancelled.

Date November 6, 1930.

“ ‘R. C. Daugherty,
“ ‘Yellow & Checker Cab Co.’

“5. And the defendant further avers that all of said" negotiations and said substitution of said policy as 'aforesaid, between said parties as aforesaid took place in good faith and without any knowledge said accident, set forth in the declaration, had happened, if in fact it did happen, prior to the substitution of said policy as aforesaid.

“6. And the defendant further avers that upon the plaintiff learning of said accident mentioned in said declaration, that the plaintiff gave notice to the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company under its said policy aforesaid, that said accident happened, and notified it to defend said suit, and that the said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company did employ Rearick & Meeks, as attorneys to defend said suit, and pay said attorneys for their said services, and said attorneys filed a plea in said suit and defended the same as attorneys for the United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company, and after said judgment mentioned in the declaration was rendered, said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company did compromise said judgment and paid in compromise thereof the said sum of Seventeen Hundred Fifty Dollars ($1750.00) and Thirty-three and 92/100 Dollars ($33.92) costs mentioned in the declaration to the said Milton P. Burton, or his attorneys, and the said Robert C. Daugherty did not pay said attorneys for their services in said matter, and did not pay said amount in compromise of said judgment, but that payment of same was made by the check or voucher of the said United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company.

“7.

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271 Ill. App. 71, 1933 Ill. App. LEXIS 328, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/daugherty-v-alliance-casualty-co-illappct-1933.