Metropolitan Property & Liability Insurance v. Stancel

697 S.W.2d 923, 16 Ark. App. 91, 1985 Ark. App. LEXIS 2183
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arkansas
DecidedOctober 16, 1985
DocketCA 84-440
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 697 S.W.2d 923 (Metropolitan Property & Liability Insurance v. Stancel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Metropolitan Property & Liability Insurance v. Stancel, 697 S.W.2d 923, 16 Ark. App. 91, 1985 Ark. App. LEXIS 2183 (Ark. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

Donald L. Corbin, Judge.

Appellees, Loyd V. Stancel and Doris L. Stancel, were issued a homeowners insurance policy by appellant, Metropolitan Property and Liability Insurance Company, which was in force on June 15, 1982, providing coverage against loss by fire for appellees’ dwelling in the amount of $90,000, personal property in the amount of $45,000 and additional expenses in the amount of $22,500. It was stipulated at trial that the insured dwelling and contents were totally destroyed by fire. Appellant denied coverage based upon misrepresentation in the application for insurance and appellees filed suit for $ 136,000 ($90,000 for dwelling coverage, $45,000 for personal property coverage and additional expenses in the amount of $1,000), 12% penalty, attorneys’ fees and 10% per annum interest from the date of claim.

The jury rendered a verdict in favor of appellees in the amount of $136,000. The trial court then awarded the 12% statutory penalty, attorneys’ fees of $26,250 and prejudgment interest on $ 135,000 of the verdict amount from the date of loss at the rate of 6% per annum. We affirm as modified.

Appellant, in its first point for reversal, alleges that the trial court erred in refusing, as a matter of law, to reduce the jury verdict by $100, which represents the deductible amount pursuant to the insurance policy in question under coverages A and C.

The loss of insured real property and personal property is involved here. Thurston Nat’l Ins. Co. v. Dowling, 259 Ark. 597, 535 S.W.2d 63 (1976), clearly dictates the result to be reached under the facts of the instant case as it relates to the loss of the real property. In Thurston, supra, appellant Thurston National Insurance Company issued a fire insurance policy to appellee George W. Dowling which covered a dwelling house owned by appellee. The face amount of the policy was $8,000, and it contained a $50 deductible provision. The house was totally destroyed by fire and suit was filed by appellee to recover the sum of $8,000, plus statutory penalty, interest and attorneys’ fees. Appellant admitted liability to the extent of $7,950 by reason of the fire loss, but denied that it was liable to appellee for penalty, interest and attorneys’ fees for the reason that appellee had at all times demanded the sum of $8,000. The trial court entered summary judgment in favor of appellee, holding that the $50 deductible provision in appellant’s policy of insurance was void as being contrary to and in violation of the Arkansas Valued Policy Law. The court, under the provisions of Ark. Stat. Ann. § 66-3238 (Repl. 1980) awarded penalty, interest and attorneys’ fees.

Justice Elsijane T. Roy, writing for a majority in Thurston, supra, noted that appellant’s position was that the full amount of the policy was $7,950 after being reduced by the $50 deductible and that the deductible provision, therefore, diminished the actual amount of recovery to an amount less than “the full amount stated in the policy.” This is basically the same argument raised by appellant in the instant case. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 66-3901 (Repl. 1980), commonly referred to as the Valued Policy Law, provides:

A fire insurance policy, in case of a total loss by fire of the property insured, shall be held and considered to be liquidated demand and against the company taking such risk, for the full amount stated in said policy, or the full amount upon which the company charges, collects or receives a premium; provided, the provisions of this section shall not apply to personal property, (emphasis supplied)

Justice Roy, in reliance on this provision and other case law, affirmed the trial judge, stating, “Our cases hold that when a total loss is involved a clause which diminishes recovery to less than the full amount stated in the policy is void.” The rule in Thurston is dispositive when applied to the facts of the instant case concerning the loss of real property. It is not clear whether Thurston, supra, applies only to loss of real property or to loss of personal property as well. The Valued Policy Law was the basis for the rule in Thurston and that statute, as cited earlier, specifically excludes personal property from its coverage. Neither party has cited a case which extends the rule in Thurston to personal property. There may be valid policy reasons for extending that rule to cover loss of personal property when it is coupled with a loss of real property. In this case, however, there are other grounds on which we may decide this issue.

The policy, which included the deductible provision, was introduced into evidence. Appellant did not plead the deductible as a setoff, but did argue to the jury that it was entitled to a setoff. In its written order denying appellant’s motion for Judgment N.O.V., the trial court stated as follows:

[T]he policy was introduced into evidence with the declarations, the portion of the policy showing the $100.00 deductible provision, and same was available for consideration by the jury . . . Defendant argued in its closing argument that it was entitled to credit for the $100.00 deductible against the amount claimed by Plaintiffs. Also, the Court must consider that the case was presented to the jury on a general verdict requiring only one verdict and no request was made of the jury to itemize or set out its specific award as to each element of coverage. Further, the Plaintiffs proved additional living expenses in an amount, approximating $7,400.00, but only requested that the jury return a verdict of $ 136,000.00. This would have given the jury ample opportunity to consider the $ 100.00 deductible, but still grant the $136,000.00 judgment as requested by Plaintiffs.

The case went to the jury on a general verdict, and appellant made no post-trial effort to determine whether the jury considered the deductible amount. It is evident that the jury considered the contract provision on the deductible, and we believe there is substantial evidence to support its award of $136,000.

It appears from the record that appellant waived for purposes of appeal the issue of reduction of the verdict by $ 100 by its failure to make a motion for a directed verdict, stating specific grounds therefor, either at the close of appellees’ evidence or at the conclusion of the case. Sanson v. Pullum, 273 Ark. 325, 619 S.W.2d 641 (1981); Dodson Creek, Inc. v. Fred Walton Rlty., 2 Ark. App. 128, 620 S.W.2d 947 (1981). Accordingly, we find no error in the trial court’s refusal to reduce the jury verdict by the amount of the deductible. The matter was properly submitted to the jury for its determination and there is substantial evidence to support its award.

In its second point for reversal, appellant alleges that the trial court erred in awarding prejudgment interest. Appellant asserts that the damages sustained by appellees could not be ascertained at the time of the loss. The trial court found that $135,000 of the $136,000 of damages was capable of being ascertained at the date of the loss and awarded prejudgment interest on $135,000.

In Toney v. Haskins, 7 Ark. App. 98, 644 S.W.2d 622

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Bluebook (online)
697 S.W.2d 923, 16 Ark. App. 91, 1985 Ark. App. LEXIS 2183, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/metropolitan-property-liability-insurance-v-stancel-arkctapp-1985.