Denver Life Insurance v. Bucknum

18 Colo. App. 209
CourtColorado Court of Appeals
DecidedSeptember 15, 1902
DocketNo. 2243
StatusPublished

This text of 18 Colo. App. 209 (Denver Life Insurance v. Bucknum) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Denver Life Insurance v. Bucknum, 18 Colo. App. 209 (Colo. Ct. App. 1902).

Opinion

Thomson, J.

On tbe lltli day of August, 1896, Tbe Denver Life Insurance Company issued and delivered to Dr. Henry H. Bucknum its policy of insurance, whereby it insured bis life in tbe sum of $5,000 for tbe benefit of Elsie M. Bucknum, bis wife. Tbe consideration for [210]*210the policy as expressed in the instrument was,' among other things, the full payment of the first annual premium, $73.56, and the agreement of the insured that further payments should be made annually, semi-annually, quarterly or monthly in advance. Dr. Bucknum was one of the medical examiners for the company, it was contemplated that the fees for examinations, which he was to receive from the company, would be enough to cover the premium and the further payments. Some time afterwards it was found that the company was unable to furnish him with a sufficient number of examinations to carry the amount' of insurance named in the policy. After this fact had been ascertained, Charles E. Channell, secretary of the company, and Dr. Bucknum had several conversations on the subject, in which the doctor said that he was dependent upon the examinations to carry his policy, and was without funds to make good the de-' ficiency. The total amount earned by him as examiner was insufficient to keep the policy in force after August 11, T897; and in subsequent conversations with him he was notified by the president that his policy had lapsed. The doctor was desirous of insurance, and on the first day of September, 1897, it was agreed that the amount of the insurance should be reduced to $2,000; and, accordingly, on that date, the doctor made and subscribed the following application to the company:

“Application eor Reinstatement and Warranty oe Health to the Denver Liee Insurance Company", Denver, Colorado.
“Whereas, a premium payment upon my policy No. 7 became due and payable on the 11th day of August, 1897, and by reason of the nonpayment of said premium when due my policy expired,
“Now, therefore, I, IT. H. Bucknum, of Denver, occupation physician, do hereby apply to The Denver [211]*211Life Insurance Company, for reinstatement of my policy, and tender the amount of past due payment of-$15.46, which will carry the payment upon my policy to February 11, 1898. In consideration of the same being accepted and my policy restored to regular standing, I agree as follows:
“First. I warrant that I am now of temperate habits, in good health and free from all infirmities. That since the date of my original application I have had no disease, injury, infirmity or illness, nor had any medical attendance, or advice for any illness except as follows, viz.:
“Second. I hereby agree that if any of the statements and warrants above given are not full, complete and true, that the acceptance by The Denver Life Insurance Company of this or any other payment shall not make a valid claim under said policy, and the only liability against The Denver Life Insurance Company shall be the amount of this and subsequent premium payments with compound interest added at four per cent, per annum.
“Dated at Denver, this 1st day of September, 1897. “H. H. Bueknum.”

The company accepted the application and, on the same day, altered the old policy except as to its date, so as to adapt it to the new contract, and delivered it to him. The alteration was made by erasing the word “five” where the amount of the insurance was named, and inserting the word ‘£ two, ’ ’ and by erasing the figures representing the payments which were required to maintain a policy for $5,000, and inserting figures representing the payments required to support a policy for $2,000. At the foot of the policy these words were written: £ 1 This policy reduced to $2,000, from August 11,1897. C. E. Channel!, Secretary.” The doctor elected to make his payments semi-annually. The amount of each of [212]*212such payments was $15.46; and by tbe alteration it was so- made to appear in tbe policy. Tbe semiannual premium on tbe $5,000 policy was $38.63. Tbe doctor made bis first payment immediately. About two months afterwards it came to tbe knowledge of. tbe officers of tbe company that when tbe doctor made tbe application be was suffering from a disease known as paretic dementia. A meeting of tbe board of directors was immediately called, at which it was determined to refund tbe money paid by bim, and notify bim that bis policy was cancelled. Accordingly, on September 16, 1897, tbe secretary wrote tbe doctor a letter, enclosing a check for tbe premium paid by bim and advising bim that bis policy bad been cancelled. Tbe doctor refused to accept tbe check and returned it. It was then sent to bis wife, and she also returned it. Tbe doctor died on tbe 13th day of March, 1899, and Mrs. Bucknum brought this suit to recover tbe amount named in tbe policy.

Tbe complaint alleged tbe issuance of a policy to tbe doctor for $2,000, setting forth the instrument and its attached conditions in full; alleged tbe death of tbe insured, tbe performance of all tbe conditions of tbe policy by bim and by tbe plaintiff, and demanded judgment for $2,000. Tbe answer admitted tbe execution and delivery of tbe policy and tbe death of tbe insured, and after setting forth tbe facts in connection with tbe original insurance for $5,000, tbe failure of tbe insured to pay tbe premiums due, tbe consequent forfeiture of tbe policy, tbe application of tbe insured for a reinstatement of tbe policy, tbe payment by bim of tbe amount of tbe semi-annual premium of $15.46 on tbe policy as altered, averred that. tbe statements of tbe insured as to bis health, in bis application for that policy, were false, and were known by bim to be false at the time they were made; that be was at that time and for a long time before [213]*213had been, suffering from a disease known as paretic dementia, and which resulted in his death; that he was then being, and before making his application had been, treated by a physician for that disease; that these facts were unknown to the company when it allowed the reinstatement and changed the policy; but that immediately when it became advised of them it sent to- the doctor its check for the amount of the premium he had paid, notifying him that by reason of his misrepresentations his policy had been can-celled, but he refused to receive it and returned it, as did also his wife, the beneficiary, to whom it was subsequently sent.

The replication admitted the allegations concerning the disease from which the doctor was suffering, and admitted that it finally resulted in his death; but averred that at the .time he made the application his mind was so shattered that he was incapable of judgment in relation to his statements. The replication further denied knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the other allegations of the answer.

Dr. Eskridge, the physician under whose care Dr.

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Bluebook (online)
18 Colo. App. 209, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/denver-life-insurance-v-bucknum-coloctapp-1902.