Mid-States Insurance v. American Fidelity & Casualty Co.

125 F. Supp. 34, 1954 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2618
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. California
DecidedOctober 12, 1954
DocketCiv. Nos. 31496, 31311
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 125 F. Supp. 34 (Mid-States Insurance v. American Fidelity & Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mid-States Insurance v. American Fidelity & Casualty Co., 125 F. Supp. 34, 1954 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2618 (N.D. Cal. 1954).

Opinion

ROCHE, Chief Judge.

This is an action brought by Mid-States Insurance Company, hereafter called Mid-States, against (1) American Fidelity and Casualty Company, hereafter called American Fidelity, (2) its manager, the American Plan Corporation, and (3) certain agents and officers of these aforementioned defendants.

Plaintiff’s complaint charges that the defendants conspired to defraud Mid-States, and that this conspiracy was actually carried out in breach of Lotz’ {agent for Mid-States) fiduciary obligations to the Company. The prayer of the complaint is for $297,097.91 and for $50,000 as exemplary and punitive damages.

Counterclaims were interposed by some of the defendants, but little or no evidentiary proof supporting the allegations contained therein was offered at the time of the trial of this case.

The Anglo California National Bank {hereafter called Anglo) has by permission of the court filed a complaint in intervention in this action, and appears as a third party plaintiff. During the period of the conspiracy alleged in the Mid-States’ complaint, the defendant Lotz endorsed and deposited in his account certain checks which were delivered to him, but which were drawn to the order of Mid-States. Mid-States in a separate action sued Anglo on the theory that Lotz was not authorized to endorse checks payable to- Mid-States, and this suit was settled after trial by payment of $37,500 from Anglo to Mid-States.

Anglo, seeking recovery of this amount from the defendants, alleges that the endorsement of checks by Lotz was an act in furtherance of the fraudulent conspiracy :ujpon which the principal action is based. As an alternative theory, Anglo claims recovery by way of subrogation should Mid-States recover in the principal action. Either theory of recovery depends on the showing of a fraudulent conspiracy on the part of the defendants.

The facts of the case are as follows: Both Mid-States and American Fidelity are insurance companies writing automobile collision insurance. In May, 1947, Mid-States appointed Lotz its general agent for the State of California, and thereafter Lotz procured substantial amounts of insurance business for Mid-States.

In November, 1950, American Fidelity also appointed Lotz as its general agent for this state. As the terms of his agency contract with that company were more favorable to him than those of his contract with Mid-States, Lotz thereafter placed the bulk of his business with American Fidelity. By August, 1951, some nine months later plaintiff’s complaint alleges that Lotz was indebted to American Fidelity in the sum of approximately $190,984. As Lotz had sharply curtailed his writings in Mid-States his total indebtedness to that company at that time totaled approximately $30,000.

In the middle of this same month, August, 1951, Lotz and his office manager, Smead went to New York at the request of Mark Hart, president of American Fidelity. Hart had become concerned over the financial condition of the Lotz agency; a concern which was natural since a substantial check given [36]*36by Lotz had been returned by the bank unpaid, and there was a large outstanding account which was delinquent. The evidence is conflicting as to exactly what was said and done at this meeting held in Hart’s New York offices.

Mid-States contends it was at this meeting that Lotz and Smead disclosed their insolvency, and that the suggestion was made that another insurer be found which would accept Lotz’ new policy writings from which premium monies could be obtained to pay off American Fidelity’s defaulted account.

There is no dispute, however, that defendant American Fidelity directed that Lotz make prompt collection of his receivables, that immediately after the meeting Lotz proceeded to Chicago and was successful in negotiating a new and more, favorable agency contract with Mid-States upon his assurance of giving them an increased volume of business, and that Smead returned to Oakland to make collections from sub-agents.

About a week after the New York meeting, August 20, 1951, Hart and Feller (General Counsel of American Plan) flew to Oakland for further conferences with Lotz and Smead. On August 22, 1951 during this visit defendants executed a written contract which provided (1) that Lotz’ agency for Fidelity and Casualty was terminated, (2) that the time allowed for payment of Lotz’ total indebtedness was shortened so that payment would be completed by September 15, 1951,1 and (3) that Lotz’ financial control of the business was taken from him, and Smead was to act as representative of American Plan with authority over the financial end of Lotz’ agency.

As a result of various transactions between the months of August and November, 1951, Lotz’ indebtedness to American Fidelity was completely liquidated afad his indebtedness to' Mid-States increased substantially.

On November 24, 1951, officers of Mid-States traveled to Oakland and had several conversations with Lotz dealing with his financial condition. Lotz told the officials of Mid-States that he was in the red, and that this condition was due to high operating costs and high commissions paid to sub-agents. On November 27, 1951, Lotz submitted a letter to these officials telling them how he intended to operate his agency from that date on, and setting forth the various plans he intended to put into operation in order to stay in business and pay his indebtedness. The evidence discloses that on November 27, 1951 Lotz also gave Mid-States both a power of attorney and an assignment of his business.

Mid-States alleges that it was not until December 4, 1951 that they learned all of the facts from Lotz concerning the alleged conspiracy to defraud, and that thereafter it sought to reduce its loss. The indebtedness was reduced to the sum of $281,746.96, and it is this sum which plaintiff wishes to recover.

Anglo and Mid-States allege that the fraudulent conspiracy contemplated at least four separate activities, (1) the diverting to American Fidelity of premium funds received by Lotz for the account of Mid-States, (2) the cancelling by Lotz of policies in American Fidelity and the re-writing of these policies in Mid-States at a time when American Fidelity knew that Lotz was insolvent, (3) the writing of vastly increased amounts of insurance in Mid-States by Lotz without regard to the quality of the risks involved, and (4) the concealing from Anglo Bank and Mid-States of Lotz’ insolvency and his inability to pay his indebtedness as it fell due.

In order to better understand this case it is essential to indicate the course of dealing between the parties.

The insurance policies of both Mid-States and American Fidelity were being written under what is known gen[37]*37erally as a “retrospective plan.” Under this plan, Lotz as general agent appointed sub-agents who were entitled to an immediate commission upon the premiums collected by them. The sub-agents forwarded reporting copies thereof to the company concerned. Lotz then became indebted to the company for the entire amount of the premium although he had a so-called credit period within which to pay it. Lotz was not entitled to receive at any time any commission for himself or for any sub-agent but received his commission after the policy had expired, his commission being dependent upon the losses occurring under the policy.

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125 F. Supp. 34, 1954 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2618, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mid-states-insurance-v-american-fidelity-casualty-co-cand-1954.