McAlexander v. Waldbieser

192 N.E. 425, 207 Ind. 531, 1934 Ind. LEXIS 254
CourtIndiana Supreme Court
DecidedOctober 29, 1934
DocketNo. 25,986.
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 192 N.E. 425 (McAlexander v. Waldbieser) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McAlexander v. Waldbieser, 192 N.E. 425, 207 Ind. 531, 1934 Ind. LEXIS 254 (Ind. 1934).

Opinion

Fansler, J.

In February, 1928, Robert 0. McAlexander brought this action against Albert Waldbieser, and all other subscribers in a reciprocal insurance association known as Federal Automobile Insurance Underwriters, and/or Federal Automobile Insurance Association, and The Federal Underwriters, Inc., attorney in fact for the subscribers, alleging that he is a subscriber and the holder of a contract in the association; that the fund of the subscribers in the hands of the attorney in fact is being mismanaged and is insolvent in that there are not sufficient funds to pay claims, and asking for an accounting and the appointment of a receiver to take charge of and administer the fund. Service was had upon the defendants named, and upon the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Indiana, and, after a hearing, Garrett W. Olds was appointed receiver in March, 1928. In June, 1929, on petition of the receiver, the court ordered an assessment against the subscribers, and ordered its collection by the receiver. In December, 1929, appellees filed what is denominated an intervening petition, seeking to have the appointment of the receiver set aside, and asking that the order of assessment be modified or set aside. The receiver’s motion to strike out the intervening petition and his demurrer were overruled, and the receiver answered, and in December, 1930, the court entered an order denying the petition to set aside the appointment of the receiver, but vacating and setting aside the order of assessment against the subscribers.

Appellants have assigned error upon these rulings of the court unfavorable to them, and upon the exclusion of certain evidence offered at the hearing. While contending that the original order appointing the receiver was invalid, appellees have not assigned cross-error _ upon *534 the court’s ruling against them upon that question, and in their brief they say that they desire that the questions presented be decided upon their merits, and that they are primarily interested in sustaining the order of the court below setting aside the order of assessment.

The contracts between the subscribers and the power of attorney are substantially the same as those usually found in reciprocal insurance arrangements and referred to in various cases decided in this court and the Appellate Court. Sherman & Ellis, Inc., v. Indianapolis Castings Co. (1924), 195 Ind. 370, 144 N. E. 17; Underwriters’ Exchange v. Indianapolis St. Ry. Co. (1925), 144 N. E. 860; Turner et al. v. Henshaw, Rec. (1927), 86 Ind. App. 565, 155 N. E. 222; Underwriters’ Exchange, Inc., v. Montgomery, Rec. (1929), 91 Ind. App. 24, 169 N. E. 54; Wysong v. Automobile Underwriters, Inc. (1933), 204 Ind. 493, 184 N. E.783.

The case of Sherman & Ellis, Inc., v. Indianapolis Castings Co., supra, involved an effort of the attorney in fact to collect assessments by an action in its own name. It was held that it had no authority to maintain the suit. In the case of Underwriters’ Exchange v. Indianapolis St. Ry. Co., supra, it was held that the attorney in fact could not sue in its own name upon a subrogation claim. In the case of Turner et al. v. Henshaw, Rec., supra, it was held that the receiver could not be appointed for the insurance exchange, which was a mere place of transacting business. In the case of Underwriters’ Exchange, Inc., v. Montgomery, Rec., supra, it was held that a receiver cannot be appointed for a reciprocal association. In the case of Wysong v. Automobile Underwriters, Inc., supra, it was held that the liability of subscribers is determined and controlled by the contracts involved, and by the statute of this state governing reciprocal companies (§§9308-9321, Burns 1926).

*535 But the question presented here is a different one. While the applications of the subscribers, the insurance contracts, and the power of attorney provide that the liability of the subscribers to each other shall be several and not joint, and that a separate account shall be kept of the payments and assessments of each subscriber, the contracts provide, and the statute contemplates, that the money paid in by the subscribers shall be kept in a common fund in the name of the attorney in fact, and that it shall be disbursed by checks upon this fund, and that certain portions of the fund thus received shall be invested in reserves and in securities to be deposited with the insurance commissioner under the statute. It follows that every subscriber has an interest in this co-mingled fund. The complaint alleges that the fund is being mismanaged, dissipated, and lost through the misconduct of the attorney in fact. No individual subscriber has the power or authority to take possession of the fund for the benefit of himself, or for all of the subscribers. A court of equity, at the suit of a subscriber, has unquestioned power to take possession of such a fund under such circumstances, and to manage, disburse, and liquidate it, so as to do justice to all parties in interest under-their contracts.

The principal contention between the parties involves the liability of subscribers to assessment, the extent of the assessment, and the purpose for which it may be made. Under the agreement, each subscriber obligates himself to pay into the fund his pro rata share of any and all expenses necessary to the operation of the business, and the payment of losses against which the subscribers are insured. Clause M of the insurance contract provides that, in the event of litigation for the recovery of any claim under a subscriber’s insurance contract, suit shall not be brought *536 against more than one subscriber, but that in an action against one subscriber the judgment shall be binding upon all subscribers, and “shall be enforceable against the funds of Subscribers liable therefor, deposited by them with the Attorney-in-Fact.” It seems clear that this provision has reference to the manner in which all claims arising under insurance policies may be litigated and collected, and has no reference to actions seeking to require subscribers to pay into the fund such sums as may be due under the subscriber’s agreement, and there is no provision in any of the contracts controlling the character of action which may be brought to enforce such a liability, and, therefore, the character of action would be controlled by the general law upon the subject. Under the contract, each subscriber binds himself to any other subscriber who may have a loss; that if his claim is allowed, or judgment is had payable out of the fund, he will deposit in the fund his pro rata share of such an amount as may be necessary to pay the claim.

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Related

Indiana Department of Revenue v. American Underwriters, Inc.
429 N.E.2d 306 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 1981)
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91 P.2d 176 (California Court of Appeal, 1939)

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Bluebook (online)
192 N.E. 425, 207 Ind. 531, 1934 Ind. LEXIS 254, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mcalexander-v-waldbieser-ind-1934.