Dyer v. Des Moines Insurance

72 N.W. 681, 103 Iowa 524
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided October 27, 1897·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

Given, J.

3 I. Appellant does not complain of that part of the decree granting a reformation of the policy, nor could it well do so, for the uncontradicted evidence fully sustains the decree in that particular. Appellant’s contention is that the court erred in rendering judgment against it, “for the reason that no proofs of loss as required by the policy and the statute were ever made or delivered to the defendant company.” Appellee contends that “defendant failed to point out any specific objections to said proofs of loss, or any of the objections now urged on this trial; for which failure it has waived the right, and is now estopped from making any of the objections it now urges of the sufficiency of said proofs of loss.” Much is said in argument, and many authorities are cited, as to how and by whom waiver might be made under this policy, and especially as to whether an adjusting agent might waive proofs of loss. There is neither allegation nor evidence of an express waiver of proofs of loss nor of an express waiver of the insufficiency of the proofs made. The question is whether, under the facts, appellant is estopped from questioning the sufficiency of the proofs made, and it is only in this connection that we are called upon to consider the subject of waiver. The statute requires notice of loss, accompanied by an affidavit stating the facts as to how the loss occurred, so far as they are within the knowledge of the assured, and the extent of the loss. Acts Eighteenth General Assembly, chapter 211, section 3. This policy requires that the assured shall render an account of the [529] loss, signed and sworn to, stating how the fire originated. The proofs received by appellant March 8, and returned March 9,1895, consisted of a list of figures in the form usually employed in giving the dimensions of framing lumber; thus: “4 2x8 No. Ft. 18,” giving the aggregate value as seventy-three dollars and twenty-one cents. Following this is a number of items giving the amount of various kinds of building material, and the value of each item or group of items. Then appears the following:

“Foster, Iowa, 3-7, T895. I, Eli Dyer, duly sworn, depose and say that I lost the following amount, as itemized, in a fire January 11,-1895, and which was insured in policy No. 108,863, given by Dcs Moines Insurance Co., of Des Moines, Iowa.”

After this there are set out the items of furniture and goods, such as those covered by the policy, with the value of each item, and a total of $813.32. The document closes as follows:

“I, Eli Dyer, being duly sworn, depose and say that the above is a true and correct statement of account against the Des Moines Ins. Co. Eli Dyer.
“Before me, this seventh day of March, 1895, personally appeared Eli Dyer, who is personally known to me as respectable and entitled to credit, and on oath swears that the aboye statement is correct, as he verily 'believes. R Williams, Justice of the Peace.”

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Dyer v. Des Moines Insurance, 72 N.W. 681, 103 Iowa 524 (iowa 1897).

72 N.W. 681 (Dyer v. Des Moines Insurance) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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