Krogh v. Great West Life Assurance Co.

214 N.W. 897, 55 N.D. 722
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedMay 7, 1927
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 214 N.W. 897 (Krogh v. Great West Life Assurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Krogh v. Great West Life Assurance Co., 214 N.W. 897, 55 N.D. 722 (N.D. 1927).

Opinion

Burr, J.

Tbe plaintiff brings action against tbe defendant on a complaint setting forth three causes of action. For her first cause of action tbe plaintiff, after stating tbe corporate existence of tbe defendant, alleges, among other things; that on tbe 25th day of February 1926, Sigurd A. Krogh applied to defendant for a $2,000 twenty-year endowment policy, a copy of tbe application being attached to and made a part of tbe complaint as exhibit A; that on tbe 19th day of March, 1926, be was examined by tbe medical examiner for tbe de[723]*723fendant; that she is the beneficiary named in the application; that at the time of signing tbe application for insurance tbe said Krogh paid to the defendant tbe full amount of tbe first premium and tbe defendant issued him a receipt therefor; that said receipt contained tbe following' provision:

“It is a further term and condition hereof that, if at tbe time of making this application, cash payment in full of tbe first premium is made by me, and if tbe company at its bead office is satisfied as to my insurability at tbe date of my medical examination, or personal declaration in lieu of medical examination, regard being bad among other things, to tbe plan, tbe premium, and tbe amount of insurance applied for, then insurance, subject to tbe provisions contained in tbe company’s regular form of policy therefor, shall be effective as from tbe date of such medical examination or personal declaration in lieu of medical examination, for an amount which is not to include any portion of tbe total insurance applied for which tbe company would in its practice ordinarily reinsure. If tbe company is not satisfied as to my insurability as hereinbefore mentioned, tbe sum actually paid at tbe time of making this application shall be returned. If the company is satisfied as aforesaid, a policy is to be issued forthwith.”

That on or about April 1, 1926, tbe defendant issued a policy insuring tbe life of tbe said Krogh in tbe sum of $2,000 pursuant to bis application and forwarded said policy to its state agent at Fargo, N. F.; that tbe said state agent, after tbe receipt of said policy, upon learning that Krogh was ill, failed and refused to deliver tbe policy and returned tbe same to tbe bead office of tbe defendant; that tbe said Krogh died on or about tbe 9th day of April, 1926, due proof of death was furnished tbe defendant and demand made for tbe payment of tbe amount due on tbe policy, but tbe defendant has failed and refused to pay tbe same or any part thereof.

As a second cause of action, after realleging facts regarding tbe application and examination, tbe plaintiff says that at tbe time of signing tbe application for insurance tbe said Krogh paid to tbe defendant tbe sum of $59.25 and received a receipt containing tbe provision herein-before quoted; that prior to this be held two life insurance policies with tbe said company one of which bad been “rated up” five years and that at tbe time be made this application it was not known at what amount [724]*724a policy would be rated and so that application was made in tbe form specified in tbe complaint and tbe amount of premium that was demanded by the soliciting agent was paid; that on the receipt of this application the company issued the policy in the sum of $2,000 and in said policy the defendant was “rated up” seven years; that the policy was forwarded to the state agent, but upon learning of the sickness of Krogh, the agent returned the policy and mailed a check for $56.10 to Krogh; that the reason' the policy was “rated up” was because Krogh was suffering from rheumatism but that the cause of death of said Krogh was influenza; the proof of death was furnished and demand made for the payment as alleged before.

In the third'cause of action after setting forth previous allegations plaintiff alleges that the defendant failed and refused to deliver the policy either to the insured or to the beneficiary though ““offered the full premium on the policy rated up seven years.” And so the plaintiff demands judgment against the defendant for $2,000 and costs.

The application referred to in the complaint is too lengthy to be set forth in full; but the provision quoted from the receipt is also one of the conditions of the application. This application calls for a twenty-year endowment accident benefit insurance policy with a semi-annual premium of $54.80 for the main benefit, and $1.30 for accident, or a total semi-annual payment of $56.10, .and the insured gives his age as forty-three years. The application was taken by one R. E.. Hatcher as soliciting agent and contains the statement that the insured party “paid to R. E. Hatcher $56.10 to cover the first premium on the policy applied for, subject to the terms and conditions contained herein and those indorsed on the receipt bearing the date and number of this application.” The said application also contained the declaration and agreement “that all statements, representations and answers in the application, including those made or to be made to the medical examiner, or •in the personal declaration of the applicant in lieu of medical examination, as part of this application, are a consideration for and a basis of the contract for insurance made between me and the said company, and whether written or printed, are declared to be true, full and complete; that no other statement, representation or information shall be binding or affect the rights of the company.”

The defendant in its answer admits its corporate capacity; the appli[725]*725cation for the insurance as set forth by the plaintiff in her complaint; the medical examination of the insured; that the plaintiff is the beneficiary named; denies the payment of the first premium, but admits the issuing of the receipt containing the conditions set forth in the complaint that the insured “paid the soliciting agent for the defendant a sum of money which was the correct form of premium if the deceased was found to be a normal risk and his application, could be accepted •on the terms which it was made; ” denied issuing a policy insuring the life of the said Krogh pursuant to the application and denied forwarding any such policy to its state agents; the defendant admits no policy was delivered to the insured and puts the burden of proof as to the time of death on the insured; admitting that an alleged proof of death was furnished. Defendant also admits that no part of such insurance policy was paid.

In answer to the second cause of action defendant admits the insured paid its agent $59.25 but alleges $3.10 was returned to him and only $56.10 retained and denies that the form of the receipt set out is the true and correct form; it admits that the insured had two other life insurance policies, but denies there was any agreement to “rate up” the insured; defendant also denies that it issued any policy to the insured wherein he was “rated up seven years” and denies that any “policy of insurance was ever issued on or pursuant to the application of insurance they received or otherwise.” Defendant admits the return of a check for $56.10 to the insured; that this was done at a time when the insured was reported to be ill. Defendant denies the “cause of death stated and admits it was notified of the death of the insured, and that a demand was made for the payment of an alleged policy of $2,000 but says there was no such policy in existence and the defendant paid nothing pursuant to such demand.”

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Related

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2 N.W.2d 163 (North Dakota Supreme Court, 1941)
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Bluebook (online)
214 N.W. 897, 55 N.D. 722, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/krogh-v-great-west-life-assurance-co-nd-1927.