Eshan Realty Corp. v. Stuyvesant Insurance

25 Misc. 2d 828, 202 N.Y.S.2d 899, 1960 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2893
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 2, 1960
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 25 Misc. 2d 828 (Eshan Realty Corp. v. Stuyvesant Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Eshan Realty Corp. v. Stuyvesant Insurance, 25 Misc. 2d 828, 202 N.Y.S.2d 899, 1960 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2893 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1960).

Opinion

Anthony J. Di Gtovanna, J.

This is an action to recover on a fire insurance policy which insured the plaintiff “to an amount not exceeding * * * ($20,000) * * * to the extent of the actual cash value of the property at the time of loss, but not exceeding the amount which it would cost to repair or replace the property with material of like kind and quality within a reasonable time after such loss, without allowance for any increased cost of repair or reconstruction by reason of any ordinance or law regulating construction or repair.”

The defendant has submitted 26 requests to find. A number hereinafter appearing in parenthesis is the number of such request and the decision with respect thereto follows.

In this case it is necessary that the court make a finding as to which is the lesser amount, that is, the “ actual cash value ” or “ cost to repair ” because defendant’s liability is predicated on whichever is the lesser amount, limited, however, by the amount of the policy.

The following facts have been admitted in the answer: (1) That the plaintiff was and still is a domestic corporation duly organized and authorized to do business in the State of New York; (2) that at all times hereinafter mentioned, the defendant was and still is a domestic corporation duly organized and authorized to conduct an insurance business in the State of New York; (5) the issuance of a policy; (6) that said policy of insurance and indorsements thereto was issued and delivered by defendant for a good and valuable consideration paid to defendant by the plaintiff; (7) among other things, said policy of insurance insured plaintiff against damages resulting from [830]*830fire to the plaintiff’s aforesaid building situate at 890 Hancock Street, Brooklyn.

In the defendant’s request to find, the defendant admits: (3) the ownership by plaintiff of 890 Hancock Street, Brooklyn.

It was stipulated at the trial that: (8) in addition to the policy referred to plaintiff had another fire insurance policy covering loss by fire in the amount of $20,000; (9) that on or about January 19, 1959, while the said policy was in effect a fire occurred at 890 Hancock Street, which damaged the building; and (20) that plaintiff received from the other insurance company the sum of $12,000 in settlement of its claim against that insurance company only.

The extent of the damage has been sharply contested. Plaintiff’s Exhibit 3 contains a list of almost 100 items of damages to various parts of the building. It was introduced into evidence during the testimony of Frank Olshansky, an expert called by the plaintiff, subject to cross-examination by the defendant with respect to any items. Defendant’s Exhibit B was a list introduced into evidence during the testimony of Raymond Eisenhauer an expert called by the defendant. The total estimated cost of repairs set forth in Exhibit B was $26,563.45, plus $3,984.52, representing an allowance to the builder for his profit and overhead, making a total of $30,547.97. For unexplained reasons the defendant excluded from such estimate the following items: emergency and temporary work; floor coverings; window shades or Venetian blinds; damage due to vandalism or theft; further damage due to exposure to the elements; interior painting, gas ranges or refrigerators, dumbwaiter installation, kitchen and bathroom fixtures, bell wiring.

Plaintiff’s Exhibit 3 sets forth a total of $33,702.10 as an estimated cost of repairs plus the amount of $6,740.42 representing an allowance to the builder for profits and overhead, making a total of $40,442.52. The defendant has offered proof of depreciation in an attempt to reduce the repair estimate by the sum of $6,330.62. That amount was increased by the sum of $949.59, representing 15% overhead and profit to the builder. There is no relation between the depreciation item and the profit and overhead item to the builder. That item of $949.59 should never have been included in the list.

The subject of depreciation with respect to cost of repair ” was fully discussed in Lazaroff v. Northwestern Nat. Ins. Co. (121 N. Y. S. 2d 122, affd. 281 App. Div. 672) wherein the court said at page 123: ‘ ‘ The court is of the opinion that the defendant’s obligation in respect of repairs is to reimburse the plaintiff [831]*831for the cost of repairs with materials of the kind and quality damaged without deduction for depreciation. Boskowitz v. Continental Ins. Co., 175 App. Div. 18, 161 N. Y. S. 680; Andrews v. Empire Cooperative Fire Ins. Co., Sup., 103 N. Y. S. 2d 177. The submission executed by the parties dated June 6, 1951 provides for the ascertainment of the cash value of the property ‘with proper deductions for depreciation[’] but does not provide for deductions for depreciation as to the ‘ cost to repair or replace.’ ” While it is true that the arbitration submission was strictly construed therein, so should the insurance policy be in our case. Unlike the policy in the McAnarney v. Newark Fire Ins. Co. (247 N. Y. 176), the policy in the instant case omits the words “ascertain with proper deductions for depreciation” which appeared in the policy in the McAnarney case. Those words have now been excluded from the standard form of policy.

In Andrews v. Empire Co-op. Fire Ins. Co. (103 N. Y. S. 2d 177, 182) the court said: “ On the matter of the cost of replacement, the plaintiffs and defendant are again at odds in their contentions. Plaintiffs’ contention is that they are entitled to be reimbursed for the value of new material. The defendant’s contention is that the new material must be depreciated so as to equal the value of the material as it was in the house immediately prior to the fire. Regarding a like contention are some very interesting notes in Yol. 49, Columbia Law Review, Part 2, Page 818. The trend of thought in such notes is favorable to the contention of the defendant, but so far as the case at bar is concerned, I do not agree with such trend of thought. The words ‘ kind and quality ’ connote to me the type of material, i.e.: whether brick, stone, wood, etc., and grade or class of material as formerly used in the building. It does not mean depreciated material. * * * Moreover, I find that with the use of new material the plaintiffs would have no better building than they had prior to the fire, and, in fact, the proof is that the building would lack certain materials and facilities which were a part of the building when the fire occurred.”

I have considered the respective gross amounts claimed by the plaintiff (Ex. 3) as against the concession of the defendant (Ex. B) in the light of the defendant’s contention that the destruction was not complete nor nearly complete. Some pertinent differences are set forth. The plaintiff claimed in its general items: ‘ ‘ plastering walls and ceilings, first, second and third floor, $11,499.” The defendant sets forth an item entitled: “ masonry and plastering $10,268.50.” The court’s reconcilia[832]*832tion of the figures computes the total items of plastering set forth in the defendant’s Exhibit B as $9,563.10. Therein lies a difference of approximately $2,000. The reason is apparent. The defendant concedes that there are 45 separate ceilings that required complete replastering, 5 walls required 80% plastering ; one half of the walls in 9 instances; 3/4 of the walls in 2 instances; plus 1/3 of the walls in 5 instances; 2/3 of the walls in one instance; and 1/4 plastering of the ceilings in one instance.

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Related

Mullen v. Jacobs
58 Misc. 2d 64 (New York Supreme Court, 1968)
Eshan Realty Corp. v. Stuyvesant Insurance
12 A.D.2d 818 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1961)

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Bluebook (online)
25 Misc. 2d 828, 202 N.Y.S.2d 899, 1960 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2893, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/eshan-realty-corp-v-stuyvesant-insurance-nysupct-1960.