HartfordSteam Boiler Inspection & Insurance v. Cartier

50 N.W. 747, 89 Mich. 41, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 590
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 21, 1891
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 50 N.W. 747 (HartfordSteam Boiler Inspection & Insurance v. Cartier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
HartfordSteam Boiler Inspection & Insurance v. Cartier, 50 N.W. 747, 89 Mich. 41, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 590 (Mich. 1891).

Opinion

McGrath, J.

Suit is brought to recover the premium upon a policy of insurance, issued and delivered to-defendant.'

The policy was for three years, was dated February 14, 1890, was sent by mail to defendant, and received by him February 18. The policy contained the following clause:

“This policy may also be canceled, at the request of' the assured, in case' of the sale, lease, transfer, or destruction of the boilers insured, or the buildings containing the same, or if the boiler or boilers shall cease to be used for a period of more than three months, provided the premium has been paid, in which case the company, after deducting the charges, for inspection and the customary short rates for the time the policy has; been in force, will return to the assured the remaining portion of the premium. But if this policy is delivered to or presented for cancellation through, by, or in the interest of any other boiler insurance company, no return premium will be paid.”

The paragraph of the policy that contains the cancellation clause is in fine print

The application was solicited by plaintiff’s agent, was made out in the presence of and delivered to the agent,, and is as follows:

“Application for Insurance to the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection & Insurance Company, of Hartford,. Conn.
[44]*44“Insurance is desired against loss or damage by ■explosion of steam-boilers on the property situated in Ludington, Mich., owned by A. E. Cartier, as a saw and .shingle mill, and against loss of life and injury to persons, to the amount of $20,000.
“Antoine E. Cartier,
“Ludington, Mich.”

The following appears on the back of the application:

“ N. B. To Agents: Indicate form of policy desired by its designating letter in the space provided below.
“ Policy form: Special.”

On the 4th day of March, 1890, defendant wrote to plaintiff, requesting it to cancel the policy, and plaintiff refused to comply. No reason was assigned for the request. The policy was sent to the company, but the ■ company refused to treat it as surrendered. It appeared .that this policy had been substituted for a policy which defendant held in another company, which is designated .•as the “American.” Plaintiff’s agent, one Brace, took the American policy, and allowed defendant $66.66 as its •surrender value, and defendant agreed to pay the balance of the premium on the new policy of $133.33 on May 1 following.

Defendant’s version of the transaction is as follows:
*‘Q. Could you state how many policies you have ¡taken out in this company?
“A. Three.
“Q. Now you may state what became of those policies.
“A. The first policy that I took out with Mr. Brace .here, the Hartford Insurance Company, he induced me to surrender the policy I had with the American company, which I did, because he gave me a better rate than I was getting with the American. Well, it wasn’t but a little while after the Hartford got this policy from me, the agent of the American come around, and offered me a better rate I had got from them. So I canceled with the Hartford, and got the American.
“Q. How did you cancel; by letter, or in what way?
“A. The American Company, Mr. Brace took the [45]*45policy, and he wrote something on the face of it, stating that this policy was canceled, and the Hartford will take my risk, — something to that effect, — and then gave me credit. It was credited to pay on this policy, and it was. changed back and forth two or three different times.
“Q. Was that the course of business in each case?
“A. Yes, sir; it was with me. And this last policy that Mr. Brace got there he gpt me to take out, he says:. T will insure you for the same amount you carry on the five boilers, and will give you the same rate on eight boilers.’ I says: ‘If you get this policy out for me the American agent will come back and give me a better rate to cancel.’ He says: ‘They will not bother you, because we have got the best price; and, they will never see you again.’ I says: ‘If that is the case, I will take out a policy.’' I took out a policy, and let him have the other policy, and it wasn’t but a little while when the American agent came, and I insured with them, and wrote the company to cancel this policy, and they refused to do it on some ground they had in this policy, that I didn’t know anything about, which they never had before.
“Q. Had you read this policy?
“A. No, I never had. I merely read the face of it. Never read the by-laws.
“Q. Was there anything else said in regard to the policy, — any particular thing called to your attention in regard to the policy?
“A. At that time?
“Q. Yes, sir.
“A. Well, there was nothing more said then. There was previous to that, — that he would give me as good a policy, and in fact a better one, than I had before.
“Q. He said he would give you as good and in fact better than what you had before?
“A. Yes, sir; even what I had with the Hartford previous to that.
“Q. Better than the policies you had had with the-Hartford?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Did he show you his form of policy with the fine print?
“A. No, sir; he didn’t. I don’t believe he had a form of the policy there. He had some form that was to paste on the face of the policy. I don’t remember seeing the-policy, — that is, the form of it.
[46]*46CROSS-EXAMINATION.
“Q. Did you ask Mr. Brace for the form of policy ■with the fine print in?
“A. I did not. I supposed the policy was the same .as the old one all the time.
“Q. Mr. Brace showed you this form of policy, this .special form?
“A. He showed me that form.
“Q. He said this was even better than the old ones you had had before?
“A. He said the policy itself would be better than that what the policy I had from the company bel ore was.
“Q. This was what he had and was showing you at that time?
“A. That is certainly what he did.
“Q. This policy was in your safe, that was received from the Hartford Company, was it not?
“A. Yes, sir; I received it. I don’t know whether I ■can place the date. I know I received it after Mr. Brace was there.
“Q.

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50 N.W. 747, 89 Mich. 41, 1891 Mich. LEXIS 590, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hartfordsteam-boiler-inspection-insurance-v-cartier-mich-1891.