Grover v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co.

51 S.W.2d 210, 227 Mo. App. 45, 1932 Mo. App. LEXIS 108
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 23, 1932
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 51 S.W.2d 210 (Grover v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity 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
Grover v. Hartford Accident & Indemnity Co., 51 S.W.2d 210, 227 Mo. App. 45, 1932 Mo. App. LEXIS 108 (Mo. Ct. App. 1932).

Opinion

BLAND, J.

This is an action on a burglary insurance policy. The case was tried before the court without the aid of a jury, result *46 ing in a judgment in favor of the plaintiff in the sum of $650. Defendant has appealed.

The facts, which were admitted at the trial, show that on or about August 15, 1924, during the term of the policy, a diamond ring of the value of $650, belonging to plaintiff’s wife, was stolen from a cabin at Pine Hurst Lodge, Deer River, Minnesota, then being occupied by plaintiff and his family while they were on their vacation on a fishing trip. The policy provided:

“IN CONSIDERATION OF the statements in the schedule attached hereto and made part hereof (which statements the assured makes and warrants to be true and material by the acceptance of this policy), and of the stipulated premium, hereby insures the person or persons named in the schedule and hereinafter called the assured, subject to conditions of general and special agreements hereinafter contained or hereunto affixed.
“FOR DIRECT LOSS BY BURGLARY, THEFT OR LARCENY of any of the property of the assured, described in the said schedule and stated to be insured hereunder, from within the house, building, apartment or rooms, occupied by the assured (excluding porches, stables, garages and out buildings), also described in the schedule and hereinafter called the premises, by any domestic servant or other employee of the assured or by any other person or persons except any person whose property is insured hereunder.
“FOR DIRECT LOSS BY DAMAGE (except fire) to such property and premises caused by such burglary, theft, or larceny.”

Under the heading “Special Agreements” appear provisions material to this controversy, as follows: That the company should not be liable for any loss or damage if the “premises” were used in whole or in part as a boarding or lodging house or for any business or professional purposes except as stated in the schedule; that the “premises” might be let or sublet to a tenant, except for use as a hoarding or lodging house, or for any business or professional purposes; that while the “premises” were occupied by such tenant, the policy should cover the assured’s property as described in the schedule, excluding wines, etc.; that the policy should not cover loss or damage to any property of the tenant or members of his household; that there might be a “permissible vacancy” by the assured leaving the “premises” Vacant or unoccupied for not more than four months in all in any policy year or an3r specific extension thereof by written permit attached to the policy; that during such “permissible vacancy” the policy should cover in full as written; that the “premises” should be considered unoccupied when neither the assured nor a member of his household (including servants or an authorized representative) were actually in the “premises.”

We next find the following in the policy:

*47 “SCHEDULE
“STATEMENT 1. The assured is JOHN C. GROVER and any member of his family permanently residing with him, and any other person permanently residing with him who does not pay board or rent, excepting however, domestic servants or other employees.
“STATEMENT 2. The location of the building in which the assured resides is 5434 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.
“STATEMENT 3. The building' is fully described as follows: Private residence.
“STATEMENT 4. The part of the building occupied by the assured and defined herein at the premises is: Entire.
“STATEMENT 5. If an apartment house there is a regular front door, hall, or elevator attendant.....
“STATEMENT 6. The premises as defined in this policy are not used in whole or in part as a boarding house, or lodging house, nor by any physician, surgeon, oculist, or dentist, for the reception or treatment of patients, or for any other business or profession, except as herein stated: No exception.
“STATEMENT 13. The insurance provided by this policy and the premium therefor shall apply:
Section (a) On jewelry, precious stones, watches, articles of gold, platinum and sterling silver, furs and articles made entirely or principally of fur. Articles enumerated in and specifically covered by Section e of this Statement shall in no event and for no purpose be considered to be covered by this Section..........$1000.00 $27.50.”

It is the contention of the defendant that the policy shows plainly and unambiguously that the risk insured against was the risk of loss by burglary, theft or larceny from within the house located at 5434 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Missouri. On the other hand it is contended by the plaintiff that “plaintiff’s property was insured in his dwelling house wherever it might be.....It will be observed that after enumerating the different places covered by the policy the clause concludes with the statement ‘also described in the schedule’ and not ‘hereinafter described in the schedule,’ which latter provision would, of course, makes the policy plain and unambiguous. "We will now go to the schedule itself and see what help it gives us in determining whether the terms of the policy are ambiguous or otherwise. ”

*48 “Statement 1 ol the schedule sets out that the assured is John C. Grover and any member of his family. Statement 2 recites ‘that the location of the building in which the assured resides is 5434 Rockhill Road,’ but does not say anything whatever to the effect ‘and to which this insurance applies,’ nor is there anything to the effect that the xaroperty must be in this particular building to be covered, as an examination of statement 13, secs. A and B, will show.” (Italics plaintiff’s.)

¥e think there can be no question but that this policy should be construed as contended for by the defendant. The whole tenor of the policy shows that the property was insured if taken from within plaintiff’s home or residence in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri, located at 5434 Rockhill Road. There is nothing in the policy remotely referring to a temporary residence or abode of the insured.

In the first place, we think that the insurance clause is quite plain and unequivocal and provides for loss or damage from burglary, theft or larceny of the property only within the premises occupied by the assured described in the schedule, or 5434 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Missouri. In addition to this, why does the policy speak of letting the “premises” by the insured to a tenant and for a four months’ vacancy permit, referring again to the “premises.” This could not well contemplate the vacancy of some temporary abode, which insured might occupy for an indefinite length of time, either great or small, but plainly refers to-a permanent residence. In the schedule material statements were made in reference to the premises showing that the company had in contemplation but one location of the premises, that named in the schedule.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
51 S.W.2d 210, 227 Mo. App. 45, 1932 Mo. App. LEXIS 108, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/grover-v-hartford-accident-indemnity-co-moctapp-1932.