Martin v. Ritcheson

306 So. 2d 582
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedJanuary 6, 1975
DocketV-343
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 306 So. 2d 582 (Martin v. Ritcheson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martin v. Ritcheson, 306 So. 2d 582 (Fla. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

306 So.2d 582 (1975)

Charles Thomas MARTIN and Mary O'Neal Martin, Plaintiffs,
v.
Walter Francis RITCHESON et al., Defendants,
GENERAL GUARANTEE INSURANCE COMPANY, etc., Third-Party-Plaintiffs,
George Mackoul, etc., et al., and Baker and Company, Florida, Etc., Third-Party-Defendants.

No. V-343.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.

January 6, 1975.
Rehearing Denied February 11, 1975.

William F. Kaler, Sistrunk & Kaler, and Gerald R. Power, Jacksonville, for plaintiff, Charles Thomas Martin.

Thomas K. McKee, Jr., Lake City, for defendants, Walter Francis Ritcheson, and others.

Carl K. Staas, Boyd, Jenerett, Leemis & Staas, Jacksonville, for Gen. Guar. Ins. Co., third party plaintiff.

Herbert R. Kanning, Mathews, Osborne, Ehrlich, McNatt, Gobelman, & Cobb, Jacksonville, for George Mackoul; and Jeffrey Allen Tew, Tew, Tew & Murray, Miami, for Baker and Co., Florida, etc., third party defendants.

F.E. Steinmeyer, III, Folsom & Steinmeyer, Tallahassee, for amicus curiae.

BOYER, Acting Chief Judge.

We here consider a certified question from the Circuit Court of Duval County *583 pursuant to Rule 4.6 Florida Appellate Rules, the material portion of which provides as follows:

"a. When Certified. When it shall appear to a judge of the lower court that there is involved in any cause pending before him questions or propositions of law that are determinative of the cause and are without controlling precedent in this state and that instruction from the Court will facilitate the proper disposition of the cause, said judge, on his own motion or on motion of either party, may certify said question or proposition of law to the Court for instruction."

For the factual basis of our consideration we are bound by the recitations of the certificate which, rather than attempt to paraphrase, we here quote in toto:

"STATEMENT OF FACTS
"1. The plaintiffs, Charles Thomas Martin and Mary O'Neal Martin, were involved in an automobile accident on March 28, 1971. At the time of the accident, the defendant, Walter Francis Ritcheson, was operating an automobile owned by Best Homes, Inc., a corporation. Suit was brought by the plaintiffs in this case against the defendant, Walter Francis Ritcheson, and Best Homes, Inc., a corporation, and General Guarantee Insurance Company, a corporation. There was an automobile liability insurance policy issued to Best Homes, Inc., by General Guarantee Insurance Company on the automobile being operated by Walter Francis Ritcheson at the time of the accident with the policy period from 10/17/70 to 10/17/71. The premiums for said liability policy were paid to the defendant, General Guarantee Insurance Company, by Baker and Company, Florida, a premium finance company, for the full policy period.
"2. There are disputed facts as to whether or not the premium finance company, Baker and Company, Florida, sent a ten-day notice of intent to cancel the policy on 3/1/71 and a notice of cancellation of the policy on 3/11/71 allegedly for failure of the insured Best Homes, Inc., to pay to Baker and Company monthly payments on the premium finance contract. It was stipulated by the parties that at no time during the policy period prior to the accident of March 28, 1971, which is the subject of the litigation, did the defendant insurance company, General Guarantee Insurance Company, send to its assured, Best Homes, Inc., a notice of cancellation of the automobile liability insurance policy on the automobile owned by Best Homes, Inc., and being operated by the defendant, Walter Francis Ritcheson, at the time of the accident.
"3. The issue of insurance coverage is being tried separate from the issues of liability and damage.
"Upon the foregoing facts, upon the Court's own motion, the Circuit Court of Duval County hereby certifies to the First District Court of Appeals of the State of Florida, pursuant to Rule 4.6, Florida Appellate Rules, for its review and determination the following question, to-wit:
"QUESTION
"IN ORDER THAT AN AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY BE EFFECTIVELY CANCELLED, IS THE INSURANCE COMPANY (INSURER) REQUIRED TO SEND TO ITS INSURED (BEST HOMES, INC.) A NOTICE OF CANCELLATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FLORIDA STATUTES 627.728 REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE PREMIUM FINANCE COMPANY HAD SENT TO THE INSURED A TEN-DAYS' NOTICE OF INTENT TO CANCEL AND A NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF THE POLICY PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTES, SECTION 627.848?
*584 "The Court further certifies that the aforesaid question or proposition of law is determinative of the cause and is without controlling precedent in this State and that instruction from the Court will facilitate the proper disposition of the cause."

The two statutes referred to in the certified question provide in material part as follows:

"627.728 Cancellations; nonrenewals. (1) As used in this section:
* * * * * *
"(c) `Nonpayment of premium' means failure of the named insured to discharge when due any of his obligations in connection with the payment of premiums on a policy or any installment of such premium, whether the premium is payable directly to the insurer or its agent or indirectly under any premium finance plan or extension of credit.
"(2) No notice of cancellation of a policy shall be effective unless it is based on one or more of the following grounds:
"(a) Nonpayment of premium;
* * * * * *
"(3) (a) No notice of cancellation of a policy to which this section applies shall be effective unless mailed or delivered by the insurer to the named insured and to the named insured's insurance agent at least forty-five days prior to the effective date of cancellation, except that when cancellation is for nonpayment of premium, at least ten days' notice of cancellation accompanied by the reason therefor shall be given. No notice of cancellation of a policy to which this section applies shall be effective unless the reason or reasons for cancellation accompany the notice of cancellation.
"(b) Nothing in this subsection (3) shall apply to nonrenewal.
* * *" (Emphasis added)
"627.848 Cancellation of insurance contract upon default. When a premium finance agreement contains a power of attorney or other authority enabling the premium finance company to cancel any insurance contract or contracts listed in the agreement, the insurance contract or contracts shall not be cancelled unless such cancellation is effectuated in accordance with the following provisions:
"(1) Not less than ten days written notice be served upon the insured or insureds shown on the premium finance agreement of the intent of the premium finance company to cancel his or their insurance contract or contracts unless the defaulted installment payment is received within ten days.
"(2) After expiration of such period, the premium finance company shall mail the insurer a request for cancellation, specifying the effective date of such cancellation, mailing a copy to the insured at his last known address as shown on the premium finance agreement.
* * * * * *

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
306 So. 2d 582, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/martin-v-ritcheson-fladistctapp-1975.