Funk v. Iowa Business Men's Mutual Fire Ass'n

72 N.W. 774, 103 Iowa 660
Supreme Court of Iowa·Decided October 30, 1897·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

Robinson, J.

The plaintiff is a judgment creditor of L. H. Mudge. In October, 1894, the appellant issued [661] to Mudge a policy of insurance which purported to insure him against loss or damage by fire or lightning on a stock of merchandise and trade fixtures and furniture specified, to the amount of one thousand dollars. During the life of the policy the property insured was destroyed by fire, and the appellant was then garnished as a supposed debtor of Mudge by reason of the policy and loss. The only questions presented by this appeal which we find it necessary to determine relate to the validity of the policy, the appellant contending that it became void by reason of over-insurance contrary to its provisions. The contract of insurance consists' of an application and a policy. The application contains the following:

“Notice to Applicants. The answers to questions in this application are your statement, and the sole basis on which we take the risk, and misrepresentations or false statements will void the policy. Please read your application after blanks are filled, to make sure that questions are answered correctly. The estimate of the value of the property must be made by you. Do not insure for more than three-fourths of what it would cost to replace it, allowing for all depreciation by age or use.
“Total Insurance Permitted. Limited to three-fourths the cash value of property insured at the time of loss, and to be concurrent herewith.
“I offer the following statement and agreement as the basis for insurance on the above-described property: What is the net amount of stock on hand? Answer. Three thousand and twenty-nine dollars. What is your average amount of stock? Answer. Three thousand dollars. What other insurance have you on stock? Answer. One thousand, two hundred-and fifty dollars. Do you understand and agree that the total insurance on this property shall not exceed three-fourths its cash value, exclusive of land? Answer. Tes.
[662] “I have read the above application, and hereby warrant the answers to all the questions therein to be true.”

The policy contained the following:

“Iowa Business Men’s Fire Association. (Mutual). In consideration of the stipulations herein named, * " * and on the faith of the representations and agreements made in the application for the insurance, * * * does insure L. H. Mudge from- noon of the fourth clay of October, 1894, until canceled by act of the insured or by this association, against all direct loss or damage by fire or lightning, except as is hereinafter provided, to an amount not exceeding one thousand dollars. * * * Total insurance permitted limited to three-fourths the cash value at the time of loss, and to be concurrent herewith. It is hereby understood and agreed by the assured that neglect to. comply with the conditions of the contract signed in this application * * * shall forever bar him from making any claim against this association. * * * This policy shall be void in each of the following instances, unless permission by the secretary be indorsed hereon or attached hereto: * * * Other insurance, whether valid or not, in excess of the amount permitted herein.

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Funk v. Iowa Business Men's Mutual Fire Ass'n, 72 N.W. 774, 103 Iowa 660 (iowa 1897).

72 N.W. 774 (Funk v. Iowa Business Men's Mutual Fire Ass'n) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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