Humboldt Fire Insurance v. Ashby

108 N.E. 150, 57 Ind. App. 682, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 7
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedJanuary 21, 1915
DocketNo. 8,408
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 108 N.E. 150 (Humboldt Fire Insurance v. Ashby) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Humboldt Fire Insurance v. Ashby, 108 N.E. 150, 57 Ind. App. 682, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 7 (Ind. Ct. App. 1915).

Opinion

Caldwell, P. J.

Appellant issued to appellee on February 10, 1909, a policy, by which certain household goods, nusical instruments, etc., described in said policy, and situated in a residence building in Fort Wayne, were insured against loss by fire, to the amount of $2,500.

1.. Appellee brought this action in the circuit court of Allen County, alleging in her complaint that a fire occurred on February 1, 1910, by which a large part of such property was destroyed, and another part damaged. She alleges her total loss to be $6,500, and prays a recovery for the full amount of the policy. The sufficiency of the complaint is not challenged. The cause was sent to the circuit court of Dekalb County, on change of venue, where the issues were made, and the trial had. There is some confusion in the transcript as originally filed in this court, respecting the ruling of the trial court on the demurrer to the second, third and fourth paragraphs of answer. Appellant has briefed the case on the theory that such demurrer was overruled to the third and fourth paragraphs, and sustained as to the second. However, a return to a writ of certiorari, issued from this court, makes it clear that such demurrer was sustained to the second and fourth paragraphs, and overruled only to the third. No error is assigned on the ruling on the demurrer to the fourth paragraph of answer, and the error assigned on such ruling as to the second paragraph is waived by not being discussed. Appellee filed a reply in three paragraphs to said third paragraph of answer. Appellant’s demurrer to the second [684]*684and third paragraphs of reply was overruled. The errors assigned on such ruling are also waived by not being discussed in appellant’s brief.

A trial by jury was had on the issues formed by the complaint, and the first and third paragraphs of answer thereto, and the three paragraphs of reply to the third paragraph of answer, resulting in a verdict in appellee’s favor for $2,250, on which judgment was rendered. The questions properly presented nnd not waived arise under the motion for a new trial.

2. The fourth paragraph of answer to which a demurrer was sustained as aforesaid, was to the effect that appellee’s title to the property described in the policy was in the nature of a conditional ownership, which fact was known to appellee, and by her concealed from appellant, and that the policy contained theafollowing provision:

“This entire policy, unless otherwise provided by agreement endorsed hereon or added hereto, shall be void if the interest of the insured be other than unconditional or sole ownership.”

Appellant assuming that the demurrer had been overruled to such paragraph, and that it constituted a part of the pleadings, by which the issues were finally settled, argues that instruction No. 1 given at appellee’s request was erroneous. The criticism of said instruction is based on the fact that by it the court informed the jury respecting the Issues made by the pleadings, and that such instruction contains no reference to the fourth paragraph of answer, or to the issue formed by it and the complaint. As we have indicated, appellant’s assumption is erroneous, and it follows that the criticism of the instruction is without merit. Appellant’s second, third, fourth, fifth and eleventh points are based on the same erroneous assumption, as indicated above. The argument is to the effect that no reply was filed to said paragraph of answer; that the facts thereby pleaded, if true, are sufficient to defeat appellee’s entire cause of action, in the [685]*685absence of a showing of waiver or estoppel, and that there was no reply that might serve as a basis for such showing. That the truth of the matter pleaded by the paragraph of answer was established by uncontradieted evidence, and hence appellant contends that the verdict of the jury is not sustained by the evidence, and is contrary to law. For reasons already given, it is apparent that appellant must fail in such contention. For a like reason, there was no error in refusing instruction No. 14, requested by appellant.

The third paragraph of answer, as far as material, is to the following effect: That after said policy was issued, appellee procured on the same property valid insurance from the Western Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the sum of $2,500, without appellant’s consent in writing endorsed on the policy. This paragraph of answer is based on a provision in the policy set out in the paragraph as follows :

“This entire policy, unless otherwise provided by agreement endorsed hereon or added hereto, shall be void if the insured now has or shall hereafter make or procure any other contract of insurance, whether valid or not on the property covered in whole or in part by this policy.”

As we have said, appellee filed to said paragraph of answer a reply in three paragraphs of which the first was a general denial. The second paragraph of reply is substantially as follows: That appellant’s agents, who issued the policy in suit, issued to appellee«at the same time the policy described in the paragraph of answer, and that appellee procured the two policies at one and the same time; that appellant knew of the issuing of both policies and consented thereto; that appellee’s attention was not called to the provision of the policy in suit, and that she had no knowledge of such provision or that appellant considered it material; that each of the companies and their agents knew of the issuing of each of the policies, and that appellant’s agents were also the agents of the other company, and as such issued such [686]*686other policy; that appellant accepted and retained and still retains the premium paid by appellee, and at no time prior to the fire loss, or prior to the commencement of this action, made objection that other insurance had been obtained; that appellee accepted such policy and paid the premium therefor, in full belief that the policy and insurance were valid; that appellant never sought to avoid the policy, and never paid back the premium, but has kept and retained the premium; that appellee did not make any written application for such insurance, and that she made no representations or promises that she would not procure other insurance; that appellant has thereby waived any defense based on the condition and its breach, and is estopped from asserting that there has been such breach. -

The third paragraph of reply is to the effect that appellant, after the fire, with full knowledge of the facts pleaded by the third paragraph of answer, required appellee to and she did make out and deliver to appellant several successive and additional proofs of the loss, and that thereby appellant waived the right to make the defense pleaded by the paragraph of answer, and is estopped from relying on same.

3. '4. In order that appellant might avail itself of the facts pleaded by the special paragraphs of answer, it was incumbent that appellant plead especially to that end. Mutual Trust, etc., Co. v. Travelers Protective Assn. (1914), ante 329, 104 N. E. 880, 885; Modern Woodmen v. Noyes (1902), 158 Ind. 503, 64 N. E. 21. Conceding for the purposes of discussion, but not deciding, that the third paragraph of answer contains facts sufficient to constitute a defense (see Commercial Life Ins. Co. v. Shroyer [1911], 176 Ind. 654, 95 N. E. 1004, Ann. Cas.

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Bluebook (online)
108 N.E. 150, 57 Ind. App. 682, 1915 Ind. App. LEXIS 7, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/humboldt-fire-insurance-v-ashby-indctapp-1915.