Hargrett v. Massachusetts Accident Co.

30 Pa. D. & C. 215, 1937 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 153
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
DecidedAugust 16, 1937
Docketno. 5432
StatusPublished

This text of 30 Pa. D. & C. 215 (Hargrett v. Massachusetts Accident Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hargrett v. Massachusetts Accident Co., 30 Pa. D. & C. 215, 1937 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 153 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1937).

Opinion

Lamberton, J.,

Defendant, on March 4, 1929, issued to plaintiff a policy of accident and health insurance for a term of one year, renewable from year to year, with premium payable semi-annually on March 4th and September 4th. The policy was admittedly in force until September 4, 1936. Plaintiff did not pay the semi-annual instalment of premium then due, but tendered the same subsequently, to wit, on September 14, 1936. Defendant refused to accept said payment and notified plaintiff that the policy had expired on September [216]*2164,1936. On numerous preceding occasions defendant had accepted instalments of premium when overdue, and it is plaintiff’s contention that this course of conduct estopped defendant from canceling the policy on account of plaintiff’s failure to pay the instalment in question on the exact date when due. Plaintiff asks that defendant be restrained from canceling said policy and ordered to reinstate the same in full force and effect, as of September 4, 1936, upon payment by plaintiff of the premium due September 4, 1936, and any other premiums falling due in the meantime. So far as we are informed, there has been no accident or illness of plaintiff in the meantime. The sole question is whether plaintiff is entitled to have the policy remain in force for his future protection.

The matter was submitted for decision on an agreed stipulation of facts, leaving only questions of law to be decided by the chancellor. In accordance with said stipulation, the court makes the following

Findings of fact

1. Plaintiff, Felix Hargrett, was the insured under a policy of health and accident insurance, bearing number 619631, issued to the plaintiff by Massachusetts Accident Company, defendant, under date of March 4, 1929. A true and correct copy of said policy is attached to plaintiff’s bill of complaint.

2. The policy provides that, upon the named considerations, defendant company insured plaintiff against the specified risks, “for a term of twelve month, beginning on the fourth day of March, 1929, at 12 o’clock noon, Standard Time, . . . against disability as herein defined, resulting from Bodily Injuries through accidental means originating after date of Policy . . . and against Disability by a Disease originating after date of Policy. . . .”

3. Under the terms of the said policy, premiums were payable semi-annually in the sum of $29.39 on March 4th, and $18.72 on September 4th, in each year.

4. The policy provides as follows:

[217]*217“PAYMENT OF PREMIUMS
“All premiums hereunder are payable on or before the specified dates, at the Home Office of the Company or to a duly authorized Agent presenting the official receipt signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary or Treasurer and countersigned by the Agent designated on such receipt. Premiums hereunder are payable annually in advance or may be paid in regular semi-annual installments at the rates and dates stated on Page 3 of this Policy. The payment of any premium or installment thereon shall not maintain this Policy in force beyond the date when the succeeding premium or installment thereon becomes payable.”

5. On page 3 of the policy appears the following:

“ANNUAL PREMIUM $36.00 PAYABLE March 4
“Alternative Mode of Payment is as follows:
“Semi-Annual Installments $18.72 each
“Payable March 4 and Sept. 4”

5½. The semi-annual instalments of premium due on March 4th and September 4th of each year are not in the same amount, as will be noted by reference to paragraph 3 above. The instalment payable on September 4th is $18.72, in accordance with the endorsement on the policy, as quoted in paragraph 5 above, but the instalment payable on March 4th of each year is $29.39. This total is made up of $18.72, as stated above in paragraph 5, $0.62 as an added annual premium in consideration of the waiver of premiums during the disability of plaintiff, as stated in paragraph 12 below, and $10.05, as an added annual premium for hospital indemnity as covered by rider attached to policy.

6. The policy provides:

“STANDARD PROVISIONS
“3. If default be made in the payment of the agreed premium for this policy, the subsequent acceptance of a premium by the Company or by any of its duly authorized [218]*218agents shall reinstate the policy but only to cover accidental injury thereafter sustained and such sickness as may begin more than ten days after the date of such acceptance.”

7. Plaintiff contends that the said policy of insurance was noncancelable. Defendant contends that the said policy of insurance was noncancelable upon payment of the premium by plaintiff to defendant on or before the anniversary date. The policy is peculiarly valuable to plaintiff, who could not obtain a similar policy today, except upon payment of a substantially larger premium; and it is doubtful if plaintiff could obtain a similar type of policy today from any reputable company.

8. The policy provides:

“RENEWAL RIGHT
“The insured shall have the right to continuously renew this policy from year to year upon payment of the premium on or before the anniversary date, until the insured has attained the age of sixty (60) nearest birthday.”

9.From the date of the inception of the policy on March 4, 1929, until the premium due September 4, 1932, defendant received payment of premiums due by plaintiff on the following dates:

Premium due date Date of payment

September 4,1929 October 5,1929

March 4,1930 March 20,1930

September 4,1930 September 30,1930

March 4,1931 April 9,1931

September 4,1931 September 12,1931

March 4,1932 April 1,1932

September 4,1932 September 10,1932

10. On or about August 15, 1932, plaintiff suffered a total disability, within the meaning of the policy, which continued until April 1, 1934.

11. The policy provides as follows:
[219]*219“If the Insured suffers a total disability from accidental injury or disease . . . the Company will pay a monthly indemnity at the rate of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS ($150.00) per month during the continuance of such total disability . . . but no indemnity shall be payable for the first 90 days of total disability, as above described.”
12. The policy provides:
“If on the date when a premium on said policy is due and payable, the Insured is totally disabled . . .; and has been so totally disabled for at least 90 consecutive days immediately preceding said due date, the Company will waive said premium . . .”.

13. During the existence of plaintiff’s total disability, from August 15, 1932, to April 1, 1934, defendant expressly waived payment of premium due on March 4, 1933, September 4,1933, and March 4,1934.

14.

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Bluebook (online)
30 Pa. D. & C. 215, 1937 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 153, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hargrett-v-massachusetts-accident-co-pactcomplphilad-1937.