Dover v. Atlas Assurance Co.

130 So. 828, 15 La. App. 132, 1930 La. App. LEXIS 657
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 7, 1930
DocketNo. 3363
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 130 So. 828 (Dover v. Atlas Assurance 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
Dover v. Atlas Assurance Co., 130 So. 828, 15 La. App. 132, 1930 La. App. LEXIS 657 (La. Ct. App. 1930).

Opinion

DREW, J.

In these four suits, which were consolidated for the purpose of trial, the plaintiff sued for judgment against the defendants in the following amounts:

1. For judgment against the Atlas Assurance Company of London, England, in the sum of $1,500, on policy No. 8810259, covering insurance of $500 on building and $1,000 on stock of merchandise;

2. For judgment against the Home In surance Company of New York, on policy No. 1280 for $1,500, covering insurance of $500 on building and $1,000 on stock of merchandise;

3. For judgment against the Virginia Fire & Marine Insurance Company of Richmond, Va., on policy No. 12517, covering insurance of $500 on building, $500 on stock of merchandise, and $500 on furniture and fixtures;

4. For judgment against the North British & Mercantile Insurance Company of London and Edinburg, on policy No. 295804, covering insurance of $500 on building, $500 on stock of merchandise, and $500 on furniture and fixtures.

The total insurance for which judgment is sought against the four companies by plaintiff is the sum of $6,000, in the following proportions: $2,000 on building; $3,000 on stock of merchandise in building; and $1,000 on furniture and fixtures in -building.

Plaintiff further sued for 12 per cent damages for failure to settle with the insured within sixty days after proof of loss by the insured, and for reasonable attorney’s fees, under Act No. 168 of 1908.

In each suit plaintiff alleged that on or about the 6th day of January, 1927, at the hour of 1 or 2 o’clock in the morning, his store building, together with the furniture and ’fixtures and the stock of merchandise kept therein, located in the town of Florien, Sabine parish, La., was entirely destroyed by fire, no part thereof being saved, and that the total amount of merchandise de: stroyed in said fire was in excess of $15,-000; that the store building destroyed by fire was worth in excess of $2,500; and that the furniture and fixtures destroyed in the fire- were worth in excess of $1,500. Plaintiff alleges on the different policies of insurance as the basis of his suit.

Defendants admit the fire and the destruction of the store building and its contents, but deny liability under the policies on the ground that two warranty stipulations in the policies had been violated by the plaintiff, as follows:

1. Change in interest, title, or possession.

“This entire policy, unless otherwise provided, by agreement and endorsed hereon or added hereto, shall be void * * * if the interest of the insured be other than unconditional and sole ownership, or if the subject of insurance be a building on ground not owned by the assured in fee simple * * * or if any change, other than by death of the insured, take place in the interest, title or possession of the subject of insurance (except change of occupant without increase of hazard), whether [134]*134by legal process or judgment, or by voluntary act of the assured, or otherwise.”

In 'that Joe Dover, the plaintiff, on or about December 29, 1926, by authentic act did bargain, sell, convey, and deliver, with full warranty of title, unto J. L. McDaniel, all his right, title, and interest in and to the property covered by said insurance and did, surrender possession and ownership of and control over said property to the said McDaniel, who, on said date, accepted title to and took actual possession and control over said property, and who was the owner and in possession of said property at the time of the fire, all without the knowledge and consent of defendants; and:

2. The iron-safe clause.

“The following covenant and warranty is hereby made a part of this policy:
“The assured will take a complete itemized inventory of stock on hand at least once in each calendar year, and unless such inventory has been taken within twelve calendar months prior to the date of this policy, one shall be taken in detail within thirty days of the issuance of this policy, or this policy shall be null and void from such date, and upon demand of the assured, the unearned premium from such date shall be returned.
“The assured will keep a set of books which shall clearly and plainly present a complete record of business transacted, including all purchases, sales and shipments, both for cash and credit, from the date of inventory, as provided for in first section of this clause, and during the continu-. anee of this policy.
“The assured will keep such nooks and inventory and also the last preceding inventory, if such has been taken, securely locked in a fire-proof safe at night, and at all times when the building mentioned in this policy is not actually open for business; or, failing in this, the assured will keep such books and • inventories in some place not exposed to a fire which would destroy the aforesaid building.
“In the event of failure to produce such set of books and inventories for the inspection of this company, this policy shall become null and void, and such failure shall constitute a perpetual bar to any recovery thereon.”

In that Joe Dover, the plaintiff, did not take the inventories and did not keep a set of books in compliance with said warranty stipulation in said policies, and that he did not keep such inventories and set of books securely locked in a fireproof safe at night, in compliance with said policies, nor did he produce sáid inventories and books to defendants fof their inspection, though often demanded to do so, and that, by reason of these facts, the said policies are null and void.

The case was tried in the lower court on these issues and resulted in judgment declaring that the “Iron Safe” clause in the policies had been violated by plaintiff, and rejected his demand in each suit for insurance on stock of merchandise. He further held there had been no change of interest, title, or possession of the subject of the insurance, and rendered judgment for plaintiff against each of defendants for the amount of insurance covered by the said policies on the store building, fixtures, and furniture, amounting in all to $3,000. From this judgment, the defendants have appealed to this court. The plaintiff did not appeal. However, on the trial of the case in this court and after arguments had begun, counsel for plaintiff offered to file an answer to the appeal praying that the judgment be increased to the full amount sued for. Said filing was objected to as coming too late, and was allowed by the court, subject to the objection, stating that the question of plaintiff’s right to file same at that stage of the case would be passed upon at the same time of passing on the merits of the ease.

Act No. 103 of 1908, being an act to [135]*135amend article 890 of the Code of Practice, controls this question. That act stated that answer to appeal may be filed in the Court of Appeal during the first three days of the term of that court, provided the answer is filed before argument. The language of that act is plain. It does not say during argument or before submission of the case, but specifically says before argument of the case in which the answer is filed. The act needs no interpretation.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
130 So. 828, 15 La. App. 132, 1930 La. App. LEXIS 657, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dover-v-atlas-assurance-co-lactapp-1930.