Maryland Casualty Co. v. Palestine Fashions, Inc.

393 S.W.2d 664
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 8, 1965
DocketNo. 147
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 393 S.W.2d 664 (Maryland Casualty Co. v. Palestine Fashions, Inc.) 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
Maryland Casualty Co. v. Palestine Fashions, Inc., 393 S.W.2d 664 (Tex. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinion

SELLERS, Justice.

The appellees herein brought this suit against the appellants to recover upon two insurance contracts for $10,000.00 each, covering the stock of merchandise of E. H. Hickman, doing business under the name of the Bootery. This business was located in the City of Palestine.

There was no question but that B. B. Campbell, who was the local agent of the insurance companies, issued the policies covering the contents of the Bootery and that the premium had been paid. At no time did B. B. Campbell cancel the policies prior to the time of the fire, which occurred on April 14, 1963. The companies denied liability on the insurance contracts for the reason that there had been a violation of the provisions of the same in that a change of ownership of the Bootery rendered the insurance void by its own terms.

The plaintiffs admit a change of ownership, but allege facts which they say establish a waiver of the provisions of the policies with reference to change of ownership.

The case was tried to a jury and the court submitted, among others, these issues to the jury:

“SPECIAL ISSUE NO. I
“Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that prior to the fire in question, the defendant Maryland Casualty Company had waived the provision of its policy' providing for termination of liability thereunder following a change in ownership of the insured property?
“ANSWER Yes
“SPECIAL ISSUE NO. II
“Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that prior to the fire in question, the defendant Pan American Insurance Company had waived the provision of its policy providing for termination of liability thereunder fol[665]*665lowing a change in ownership of the insured property?
“ANSWER Yes.”

The main issue here for consideration is, Does the evidence authorize such waiver and authorize the trial court judgment which was in favor of all the plaintiffs, jointly and severally, as their interest appeared, and decreed that John L. Bates recover the $20,000.00, with a lien in favor of R. H. Johnson for the sum of $16,500.00.

We are of the opinion that the evidence fully supports the finding of the jury on the issue of waiver by the companies of the forfeit clause of the contract because of the change of ownership.

In the case of New York Underwriters Ins. Co. v. Brittain et al., Tex.Civ.App., 62 S.W.2d 168, 170, it is held:

“Nor is it necessary for us to rest the affirmance of this case alone upon the question of novation of the contract. We think the facts show a complete waiver upon the part of appellant of any right it ever had to insist upon the forfeiture provisions of the policy. It is well settled by the decisions of our courts that, when an insurance agent with power to bind his company, and with full knowledge of the facts, does some unequivocal act showing an intention to treat the policy as valid and binding after the date on which, under its terms, it would have become forfeited, such conduct will amount to waiver of the forfeiture provisions. 24 Tex.Jur. p. 829; Stone v. Brady Mutual Life Ins. Ass’n (Tex.Civ.App.) 2 S.W.(2d) 538; Equitable Life Assur. Soc. v. Ellis, 105 Tex. 526, 147 S.W. 1152, 152 S.W. 625; Dunken v. Aetna Life Ins. Co. (Tex.Civ.App.) 221 S.W. 691. See, also, Scott v. Law Union & Rock Ins. Co., 12 S.W. (2d) 147, where, in an opinion by Judge Harvey, the Commission of Appeals, Section A, specifically held that a general agent for a fire insurance company had authority to waive for the company, after the policy was issued, the benefits of a stipulation therein for forfeiture of the policy in case of a change of interest, title, or possession of the insured property.”

In the case of British America Assur. Co. et al. v. Francisco, 58 Tex.Civ.App. 75, 123 S.W. 1144, it is held:

“Where insurer’s agent was told that the property had been sold, and that, on payment of the cash consideration, the deed which was being held in escrow would be delivered to the purchaser, and such agent did not object, but made a memorandum of the information, and requested notification of the consummation of the sale, this constituted a waiver of a provision of the policy rendering it void in case of transfer without insurer’s consent.”

When these rules are applied to the facts of this case there can be no doubt that a waiver of the no transfer provision in the policies was made.

Mr. Campbell, the agent who wrote the insurance, testified, among other evidence, as follows:

“A On or about April 1st Mr. Hickman called me at my office and stated that The Bootery had been sold to Mr. R. H. Johnson. He asked that I issue endorsements making mention of the transfer of ownership, which I did. In the process of issuing that endorsement — it was a very small endorsement and takes a very short time to do it — before I had completed it, I had it in the typewriter, Mr. Hickman called and said that the assets of The Boot-ery had been sold, and not to show R. H. Johnson as the owner; that I would be advised later as to who the owner was. That was the extent of the first conversation. And the second conversa[666]*666tion was within a very few minutes, from Mr. Hickman, on or about April 1, 1963.
“Q What did he tell you as to the name of the new owners?
“A He stated that a new name had not been decided on the new firm.
“Q Did he mention to you that the firm was being incorporated?
“A I believe that he did mention that an application, or something of that nature, or a charter would be asked for.
“Q What did you tell Mr. Hickman?
“A I asked him to notify me as soon as he possibly could as to the new name. And I asked him at that time if he knew whether or not the new owners desired that I continue to carry the insurance on the contents. He stated that he did not know, but that he would talk with them and advise me later. I told him that I would need that information in order to make a proper refund to him for the unearned portion of the premiums on the two policies involved.
“Q Were you on April 1st acquainted with this provision in this policy?
“A Yes, sir.
“Q Did you call this provision to the attention of Mr. Hickman ?
“A Only in the sense that he was to advise me the name of the new owner, which he could not and did not do.
“BY MR.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Maryland Casualty Co. v. Palestine Fashions, Inc.
402 S.W.2d 883 (Texas Supreme Court, 1966)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
393 S.W.2d 664, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/maryland-casualty-co-v-palestine-fashions-inc-texapp-1965.