Getz v. Shelter General Insurance Co.

679 S.W.2d 439, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 4135
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 9, 1984
DocketNo. WD 35113
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 679 S.W.2d 439 (Getz v. Shelter General Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Getz v. Shelter General Insurance Co., 679 S.W.2d 439, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 4135 (Mo. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

MANFORD, Judge.

This is a civil proceeding in the nature of a claim for recovery pursuant to a contract for insurance. The cause was tried to a jury, resulting in an award in the sum of $5,600. The judgment is reversed.

Appellant (hereinafter Shelter) presents eight points to this court, but due to the disposition of this appeal, only one point is addressed since it is dispositive of this ap[440]*440peal. It is noted, however, that appellant’s claimed error concerning the trial court’s instruction pursuant to MAI 4.01 (modified) is well taken as the applicable MAI instruction was MAI 4.02.

Shelter charges that the trial court erred in refusing to grant Shelter’s motion for directed verdict at the close of respondent’s (hereinafter Getz) case and again at the close of all the evidence, because the evidence, when viewed most favorably to respondent, established that respondent made a material misrepresentation in describing the motorcycle and the representation was relied upon by appellant.

In summary, the record reveals the following pertinent facts.1 In January, 1981, Getz was a member of the United States Air Force, stationed near Knobnoster, Missouri. Getz met one James Hill who was also in the Air Force but operated a private business as well, which was known as Creative Cycles, near Knobnoster, Missouri. Hill’s business involved the acquiring of various motorcycle parts from which he would construct specially built motorcycles. In early, 1981, Getz and Hill entered into an agreement whereby Hill, for a price of $5,600, agreed to build a specially constructed motorcycle for Getz. Hill further agreed to finance the purchase/sale. Getz was to make payments up to the sum of $1,000 and then Getz would execute a promissory note for the balance of $4,600. Payments of $180 per month were called for by the note and the note balance was due one year after the date of its execution.

Hill constructed the motorcycle, using various parts which included a used motor, used transmission, used fuel tank, used fenders, used ignition system, and a custom-built frame. Hill later stated that he acquired the motor transmission and fenders at a “swap meet” in Kansas City. Hill also stated that it was not uncommon for such parts to have been stolen. Getz later testified that the motor was a Harley-Davidson engine with a serial number of 2C35792H6 and that the transmission was a Harley-Davidson transmission with a serial number of DA7651. The supervisor of Warranty Processing for the Harley Davidson corporation testified that the engine and transmission were not manufactured by the Harley-Davidson corporation.

On September 25, 1981, Getz filed an application for insurance on the motorcycle. Getz advised one Bess Baird, an employee with a local agent for Shelter, that he had a new 1981 Harley-Davidson motorcycle and sought insurance on the machine. At this same time, Getz tendered to Baird a copy of his title to the motorcycle, which showed the machine to be a 1981 Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Getz did not disclose to Baird that the motorcycle was a specially constructed machine, nor did he disclose that it was of special construction. The evidence established that Getz not only knew the machine was specially constructed, but during the construction that Getz was in Hill’s shop at various times. Baird called for a rate and Getz wrote out a check for the premium. Baird later testified that had Getz informed her the machine was a specially constructed motorcycle, she would have informed Getz that she doubted Shelter would insure the machine. The evidence included policy guidelines by Shelter within which specially constructed motorcycles are not to be insured. The reason Shelter does not write policies upon such machines is that it is impossible to place a value upon the various used parts utilized in the construction of such machines.

Getz filed an application for a title with the Missouri Department of Revenue, describing the machine as a 1981 Harley-Davidson. This application was returned, advising the machine could not be titled as a 1981 Harley-Davidson, but that it would have to be titled as a specially constructed motorcycle. It was determined that to secure a title for a specially constructed machine, the applicant would have to furnish bills of sale showing' correct engine/transmission identification numbers, along with what was referred to as a DOR-[441]*441551, which is a vehicle examination form. The records of the Department of Revenue reflected no vehicle examination form. A title was issued and the witness for the Department of Revenue stated that issuance of the title was either due to human error or other human intervention, and that the title should never have been issued.

Getz later testified that he and a friend went to the Alamo Bar in Sedalia, Missouri. He arrived between 9:00 and 9:30 p.m. Upon leaving the bar with his friend, he noticed that his motorcycle was missing from the parking lot. Getz observed a woman, Vikki Engelmann, in a parked automobile. Engelmann had stopped to rest in the parking lot while en route to the Ozarks. Getz questioned Engelmann, and she told him that she saw an individual come from the bar, walk to the motorcycle, and drive off on the motorcycle. Before departing on the motorcycle, this individual approached Engelmann and engaged her in conversation. Later at trial, Engelmann identified the individual who rode off on the motorcycle as Hill, the party who had previously constructed the motorcycle. Engelmann testified that she did not see Hill “hot wire” the motorcycle, nor did she observe anything unusual as to the starting of the motorcycle. While Engelmann testified she saw Hill come from the Alamo Bar, Getz testified that he did not have any pre-arrangement to meet Hill there, nor did he see Hill in the bar.

Other evidence established that other motorcycles constructed by Hill had been stolen and were the subject of insurance proceed claims. It was further established that Getz and Hill would divide any of the proceeds derived from any judgment entered upon Getz’s claim for recovery.

The evidence closed. The jury was instructed. The jury returned a verdict for Getz in the sum of $5,600. This appeal followed the overruling of timely-filed post-trial motions.

This cause initiated on Getz’s petition to recover for the loss of his motorcycle under a policy of insurance issued by Shelter. Shelter filed its answer, inclusive of an affirmative defense. The affirmative defense, in summary, denied coverage due to a material misrepresentation by Getz in his application for the insurance coverage. The record shows no reply by Getz to the affirmative defense.

The record shows no dispute as regards the following pertinent and crucial facts.

Getz conceded that he listed in his application that the motorcycle was a new 1981 Harley-Davidson. The vehicle was described as such by Getz to Shelter. By way of his petition and upon admission at trial, Getz declared the representation of the motorcycle as a new 1981 Harley-Davidson, while in fact the motorcycle was a specially constructed motorcycle. The evidence is uncontroverted that Getz knew from the outset that the motorcycle was a specially constructed motorcycle constructed from various used parts and a special frame. The evidence was also uncontroverted that Shelter’s policy underwriter guidelines prevented issuance of coverage on specially constructed vehicles.

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Bluebook (online)
679 S.W.2d 439, 1984 Mo. App. LEXIS 4135, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/getz-v-shelter-general-insurance-co-moctapp-1984.