Marshall v. Bankers Life & Casualty Company

425 S.W.2d 45, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 3011
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedFebruary 22, 1968
Docket15226
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 425 S.W.2d 45 (Marshall v. Bankers Life & Casualty Company) 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
Marshall v. Bankers Life & Casualty Company, 425 S.W.2d 45, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 3011 (Tex. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

COLEMAN, Justice.

This is a suit to recover the proceeds of a policy of insurance. The appeal is taken from a summary judgment for the Insurance Company.

Appellant alleged in his petition that at the time he received permanently disabling injuries he was insured against disability caused by accident by a preliminary contract of insurance for a one month term as evidenced by a receipt in writing issued to him by the agent of appellee. In the alternative, he alleged that he contracted with appellee to purchase a policy of such insurance against accidental injuries and for a separate consideration appellee agreed to afford immediate coverage until such time as the written policy was issued. He alleged that the written policy was issued, but that while the temporary coverage was in force and before the written policy was delivered, he suffered accidental injuries for which benefits were due under the policy. He alleged that the Insurance Company has refused to pay the benefits due to him and has denied the existence of the contract. Appellant has sued under the theory of anticipatory breach of contract for the benefits due and to become due under the alleged contract.

*46 Appellee filed its motion for summary judgment and an affidavit setting out the fact that appellant made an application for insurance, a true copy of which was attached, and that the insurance policy was not issued on or prior to December 4, 1965, and was not delivered to appellant on or prior to that date. The application attached was dated December 1, 1965. Material parts of the application read:

TO BANKERS LIFE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Chicago, Illinois 60630 (hereinafter called the Company)
1. I hereby apply for a policy on Form No. P-16, with Rider Form No’s._,_,_, to be issued on the basis of my answers to the following questions and my answers to the Medical Examiner on Part II hereof, if any.
14. Do you understand and agree that the Policy hereby applied for will not take effect until it is issued by the Company and duly executed by the President and Secretary of the Company and that the Company is not bound by any knowledge of, or statements made by, or to any agent, unless set forth herein?. yes
15. * * *.
16. Do you understand and agree that no monthly benefit is payable during the first 0 days of disability due to accident and during the first 0 days of disability due to sickness?. Yes
I have paid a total of $ 15,75 with this application for the initial premium to insure me for ONE (1) months.
I hereby witness the signature of the applicant hereon and I certify that I asked him all of the questions herein contained and that there has been recorded herein-above truly and accurately all of the information supplied by the applicant.
Dated at Houston, Texas 17. this 1st day of December 1965_ x E. B, Marshall Signature of Applicant
/s/ W, L. Beckham No. 58194
Licensed Resident Agent
I have read the EXCEPTIONS or EXCLUSIONS in policy form P-16 for which I have currently applied. I understand that these are limitations on benefits under the policy.
I also understand and agree that accidents incurred before date of issue of the policy by the Company or illnesses having their inception less than thirty days from said date of issue ARE NOT INSURED.
I have read the completed application signed by me and the statements contained therein as to past illnesses and present condition of health are full, true and correct.
/s/ X E. B. Marshall
1101 Kern, Houston, Texas

*47 Attached to appellant’s reply to defendant’s motion for summary judgment is appellant’s affidavit, a copy of the “Receipt for Initial Premium,” a letter from an attorney for appellee, and a copy of the policy of insurance issued by appellee showing date of issue as December 14, 1965.

In his affidavit, appellant states that on December 1, 1965, W. L. Beckham “talked me” into purchasing a life policy for accidental death which included loss of time from sickness and accidental injuries. In his affidavit appellant said:

On December 1st, 1965, Mr. Beckham took $15.75 of my money after taking an application for accidental injury benefits for insurance which was to take effect immediately that date upon his receipt of the premium of $15.75, and by which I was to be paid $150.00 per month for 24 months if accidenfZy injured and was unable to work, plus $3,000 if killed. He assured me that the insurance was immediately in effect if the $15.75 was paid, and that he would indicate that fact on the application and give me a receipt. That he marked on the application that I was to have one month insurance for the $15.75, and told that the monthly renewal premium would be $9.75 per month as was indicated, and that I would receive the written policy within about 10 days. However, he told me that there was no problems about the company accepting it because no physical examination was required since it covered only accidental injuries, and that the insurance went into force immediately upon payment of the $15.75 which was to cover one month. He wrote me a receipt for the $15.75, a copy of which is attached and which is true and correct copy.
He later delivered the policy in written form, which contained the application that I had made, but in the meantime I received accidental injury to my right knee which required the removal of the knee cap and I was off work and entitled to the benefits afforded by the policy for $150.00 each month that I was off work, and I still have not returned to all of the duties which I could do before I was hurt, and the policy, both oral and written, covered 24 months.
Mr.

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Related

Collister v. Nationwide Life Insurance
388 A.2d 1346 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1978)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
425 S.W.2d 45, 1968 Tex. App. LEXIS 3011, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/marshall-v-bankers-life-casualty-company-texapp-1968.