Horn v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co.

437 F. Supp. 63, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14584
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 8, 1977
DocketNo. 76-136-C
StatusPublished

This text of 437 F. Supp. 63 (Horn v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Horn v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co., 437 F. Supp. 63, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14584 (E.D. Okla. 1977).

Opinion

ORDER

DAUGHERTY, District Judge.

This action was brought for recovery on a fire insurance policy. The action was tried to a jury and, on April 13, 1977, the jury rendered its verdict in favor of Plaintiff in the amount of $6,500.00. Pursuant to stipulation and agreement of parties prior to the trial, the amount of an insurance payment previously made by Defendant to Plaintiff’s [64]*64mortgagee in regard to the property involved was deducted from the aforementioned amount and, on April 14, 1977, a judgment for $3,755.79 was entered in favor of Plaintiff.

Plaintiff has now filed a Motion to Settle Judgment. Said Motion is supported by a Bnef and Defendant has filed a Brief in Opposition to the Motion. Plaintiff has filed a letter in response to Defendant’s Brief.

In her Motion, Plaintiff moves the Court to settle the judgment heretofore entered in this case so as to let the judgment reflect the interest that Plaintiff alleges she is entitled to receive pursuant to 23 Okla.Stat. 1971 § 22. Plaintiff maintains that said statute provides that interest on the principal amount due under the policy herein is recoverable from the time the policy became due and payable under its terms and that in this case, Plaintiff’s loss was payable under the policy terms on or before January 31, 1976. More specifically, Plaintiff contends that she is entitled to recover interest on the principal amount due under the policy from January 31, 1976 until the present.

Defendant acknowledges that 23 Okla. Stat. 1971 § 22 is applicable to this case but maintains that under the terms of the policy, Plaintiff’s loss only became payable as of the entry of the judgment herein, i. e., on April 14, 1977.

23 Okla.Stat. 1971 § 22 provides:

“Breach of obligation to pay money
The detriment caused by the breach of an obligation to pay money only is deemed to be the amount due by the terms of the obligation, with interest thereon. R.L.1910, § 2853.”

Under 23 Okla.Stat. § 22, interest on the principal amount due on an insurance policy is recoverable from the time the policy becomes due and payable under its terms. Buffalo Insurance Co. v. Amyx, 262 F.2d 898 (Tenth Cir. 1958); American Eagle Fire Ins. Co. v. Burdine, 200 F.2d 26 (Tenth Cir. 1952); Poteete v. MFA Mutual Insurance Co., 527 P.2d 18 (Okla.1974); Phoenix Ins. Co., Hartford, Conn. v. Diffie, 270 P.2d 634 (Okla.1954).

As noted in Furrow v. Commissioner, 292 F.2d 604 (Tenth Cir. 1961):

“The word ‘due’ may mean that the debt or obligation to which it is applied has become immediately payable, or it may mean that the debt has become ascertained and fixed, although payable in the future, [footnote omitted] Here, the word ‘due’ is coupled with the phrase ‘and payable.’ ‘The word payable, when used in connection with commercial transactions, means that which is to be paid rather than that which may be paid.’ [footnote omitted] We think there can be no doubt, unless the context clearly indicates a contrary meaning, that the phrase ‘due and payable’ on a specified date means the debt or obligation to which it is applicable is then immediately payable.”

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has indicated that the use of the word “payable” in its ordinary sense excludes the notion of fulfillment. It is limited to that which has become payable, or due or owing. In re Coleman’s Estate, 179 Okl. 251, 65 P.2d 467 (1936).

The Oklahoma Supreme Court also noted in Fidelity-Phenix Fire Insurance Co. v. Board of Education of Rosedale, 201 Okl. 250, 204 P.2d 982 (1948):

“Interest as such as only recoverable under terms of a contract. Where, by the terms of contract, no provision is made for the payment of interest after maturity of the obligation, an award of interest for the detention of payment is made by the way of damages. And it is a rule of general recognition by the courts and obtains in this jurisdiction that where there is a contract to pay money on a day certain, or on a day not set but ascertainable from the terms of the contract, interest will be allowed from such date . The application of this rule in actions on insurance policies is stated in 46 C.J.S. Insurance § 1391, page 692, as follows:
[65]*65‘In accordance with general rules governing the recovery of interest as damages in actions for breach of contract, as discussed in Damages §§ 51, 52, where the amount to which plaintiff is entitled under an insurance contract is wrongfully withheld by the insurer after payment is due,' interest on such amount may be allowed as damages in an action on the policy, sometimes by virtue of statute expressly providing for the payment of interest. * * *
‘In accordance with the general rule, sometimes by reason of statute, unless the policy provides otherwise, interest on the amount to which plaintiff is entitled should be allowed from the time when, under the terms of the policy, it was due and payable but not before.’ ”

The pertinent portions of the insurance policy involved in the instant case provide in part:

“When loss payable.
The amount of loss for which this Company may be liable shall be payable sixty days after proof of loss, as herein provided, is received by this Company and ascertainment of the loss is made either by agreement between the insured and this Company expressed in writing or by the filing with this Company of an award as herein provided.”

and

“Appraisal.
In case the insured and this Company shall fail to agree as to the actual cash value or the amount of loss, then, on the written demand of either, each shall select a competent and disinterested appraiser and notify the other of the appraiser selected within twenty days of such demand. The appraisers shall first select a competent and disinterested umpire; and failing for fifteen days to agree upon such umpire, then, on request of the insured or this Company, such umpire shall be selected by a judge of a court of record in the state in which the property covered is located. The appraisers shall then appraise the loss, stating separately actual cash and value to each item; and, failing to agree, shall submit their differences, only, to the umpire. An award in writing, so itemized, of any two when filed with this Company shall determine the amount of actual cash value and loss. Each appraiser shall be paid by the party selecting him and the expense of appraisal and umpire shall be paid by the parties equally.”

Defendant’s contention is that the provision entitled “When loss payable” provides that Plaintiff’s loss became payable under the terms of the policy sixty days after proof of loss was filed with Defendant and the amount of the loss was ascertained by either an agreement between the parties or by the filing of an “award” with Defendant.

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437 F. Supp. 63, 1977 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14584, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/horn-v-state-farm-fire-casualty-co-oked-1977.