Home Ins. Co. of New York v. Roberts

67 S.W.2d 369
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 14, 1933
DocketNo. 1411.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 67 S.W.2d 369 (Home Ins. Co. of New York v. Roberts) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Home Ins. Co. of New York v. Roberts, 67 S.W.2d 369 (Tex. Ct. App. 1933).

Opinions

STANFORD, Justice.

This is a suit brought by appellee F. W. Roberts against appellant the Home Insurance Company of New York, Tom E. Grant and wife, Sallie Grant, and Miss Agnes Roberts, growing out of the execution of a fire insurance policy in the amount of $1,500 written by appellant in favor of the appellee Tom E. Grant. The record shows that Roberts owned a 50-acre farm near Cleburne and that Tom E. Grant and wife owned a house and lot in Cleburne, Tex.; that said parties agreed on an exchange of said property. It was further agreed between the parties that Tom E. Grant and wife should have the privilege of occupying the property in Cleburne for thirty days after the trade was made; that about the time that the proposed trade was to be closed, the matter of the transfer of insurance was taken up, and that the recording agent, Roy L. Doak, advised the parties in making said exchange. That soon after said trade was closed and before the house was delivered to Roberts, the property situated in Cleburne for which F. W. Roberts traded burned, and said property was a total loss; that due notice was given, and that plaintiff failed to pay the amount of the policy to the plaintiff F. W. Roberts, but did pay the insurance on household goods. It was a combination policy, $1,500 on the house owned by Roberts but in possession by Grant, and household goods owned by Grant.

Appellees filed a trial amendment alleging that Roy L. Doak, the recording agent of appellant, was advised of the negotiations for the transfer of the property and did not raise any objection to such transfer, and that thereby the requirements of the policy as to notice, indorsements, etc., were waived.

There was no controversy between the said F. W. Roberts and Tom E. Grant. The injured Grant made a demand for the loss on the household'goods, and same was settled and a release taken from him for the loss claimed by him as to a small amount of furniture and household goods. Appellant refused to pay the $1,500, the agreed value of the house situated in Cleburne, so this suit was brought by F. W. Roberts against the insurance company to collect same.

“Farm Department, License No. 377, Agent No. - Notice of appointment of recording agent, Roy L; Doak, (Agents or agency name) Address: Cleburne, Texas. Persons comprising agency, Roy L. Doak.
“State of Texas
“Board of Insurance Commissioners:
“The Home Insurance Co., N. ,Y. hereby certifies that the above named.person or persons is-are bona fide residents of the State of Texas, and is-are qualified to act as Recording Agent, and is-are not disqualified under the laws of the State of Texas to act as Recording Agent for this or any other insurance company licensed in said State, is a reliable individual of good character and reputation and is hereby appointed agent for the transaction of its authorized business of insurance in Texas under its said permit until . such authority is revoked or otherwise terminated.
“The Home Insurance Co., N. Y., by D. D. McLary.
“W. W. Tarver, Chairman Board of Insurance Commissioners.
“Date: Dec. 18, 1931
“Approved Feb. 9, 1932.”

The concluding lines of the above instrument No. 377 expressly confer upon Roy L. *370 Doak the powers of a general agent in transacting insurance business-for the appellant.

Opinion.

Under its first assignment, appellant contends “the court erred in failing and refusing to instruct a verdict in favor of the defendant.”

Under its assignment of error No. 2, appellant contends “the court erred in admitting evidence from the State Department of Insurance showing the appointment of Roy L. Doak as recording agent, without limiting same to the actual powers conferred upon Roy D. Doak by this defendant."

Under its assignment of error No. 3, appellant contends “the court erred in permitting testimony as to the introduction of such certificate for the purpose of showing the extent of the authority of Roy L. Doak.”

These propositions will be discussed together. It is thought that each of these assignments should be overruled, because under the clear and express language of license No. 377, above, Roy L. Doak was clothed with complete authority as recording agent to transact any of appellant’s insurance business ; that is, he had the authority to transact all insurance business for appellant the same as any other general agent would have done. It will be observed further that each of these contentions of appellant challenges the authority of Roy L. Doak in the very face of the written authority as shown by the license No. 377, referred to above, and no one denies the written authority of Doak as recording agent. Appellant contends further that it was error on the part of the court in refusing to limit the authority of Roy D. Doak, but does not suggest how or in what manner it desires the authority of said Doak to be limited. Evidently what appellant desired was to have Doak not limited but enlarged in his testimony to parol evidence, when the written evidence contained in license-No. 377 sets forth fully and clearly the written authority of said Doak. In addition to the written evidence indicated above, there are many circumstances corroborating and tending to show that Doak did have all of the authority of a general agent and same was in writing and clearly expressed.

Under article 5062a, Doak was required to obtain the license before his appointment as recording agent could be approved by the board of insurance comnvssioners. The appointment introduced in evidence was an original document executed by appellant and approved by W. A. Tarver, chairman. It was called a certified copy, but this was corrected later and is referred to in the record as the “certificate,” the “pink card,” and “Doak’s appointment.” It is entitled “notice of appointment of recording agent.” Appellant appointed Doak as its recording agent at Cleburne for its farm department December 18, 1931, for the transaction of its authorized business of insurance in Texas, to continue until revoked or otherwise terminated. This appointment was in full force and effect at the time of the trade between Roberts and Grant, the transfer of the policy consented to by Doak, and was still in effect at the time of the trial of this case. Appellant made no effort to show that the appointment of December 18, 1931, had been revoked or modified. The authority conferred upon Roy L. Doak in No. 377 does not appear to have been canceled or revoked, and same appears to be in full force and effect. The above three contentions of appellant are hereby in all things overruled.

After the issuance of the policy sued on, the appellant appointed the said Roy L. Doak as its local recording agent and stipulated in the appointment that the said Roy L. Doak was authorized to represent it in transactions of its authorized business in Texas until such authority is revoked or terminated. The- authorized business of the appellant in Texas included the issuance of policies, collection of premiums, acceptance of notice of transfer of beneficial interest in the policy, and the waiver of written indorsements on the policy of such transfers. The authority of such agents is found in said article 5062a, Vernon’s Ann. Civ.

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Related

Home Insurance v. Roberts
100 S.W.2d 91 (Texas Supreme Court, 1937)
Home Ins. Co. of New York v. Roberts
100 S.W.2d 91 (Texas Commission of Appeals, 1937)

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Bluebook (online)
67 S.W.2d 369, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/home-ins-co-of-new-york-v-roberts-texapp-1933.