Musquez v. Barksdale Federal Credit Union

343 So. 2d 401, 1977 La. App. LEXIS 5181
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 4, 1977
DocketNo. 5767
StatusPublished

This text of 343 So. 2d 401 (Musquez v. Barksdale Federal Credit Union) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Musquez v. Barksdale Federal Credit Union, 343 So. 2d 401, 1977 La. App. LEXIS 5181 (La. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

HOOD, Judge.

This suit was instituted against Barks-dale Federal Credit Union to recover benefits alleged to be due under the provisions of a credit life insurance policy. Plaintiffs are the surviving father, mother, brothers and sisters of Ruben Musquez, deceased. Judgment was rendered by the trial court in favor of plaintiffs. Defendant appealed.

The principal issues presented are whether Barksdale Federal Credit Union obligated itself to loan Ruben Musquez a sum of money prior to the death of the latter, and whether a credit life insurance policy insuring the life of the decedent for the amount of that loan was in effect at the time of his death.

Ruben Musquez died on March 9, 1975, as the result of injuries which he sustained in an automobile accident the preceding day. Plaintiffs are his sole surviving heirs. For some time prior to his death he and his father, Ben Musquez, were in the armed forces of the United States and were stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Both of them were members of the Barksdale Federal Credit Union, which has its main office in Shreveport and operates a branch office at Fort Polk.

In February, 1975, Ruben negotiated with a saleslady at Gray’s Sales and Service, the [402]*402Datsun automobile distributor in DeRidder, for the purchase of a Datsun automobile. While conducting those negotiations, he submitted an application to the defendant credit union for a loan to finance the purchase of that vehicle. The application was discussed with and submitted to Warren Davis, a loan counselor employed by defendant, who informed Ruben that it would be necessary for him to have someone else sign the promissory note with him as a co-maker of that note. Ruben’s father, Ben Musquez, thereupon agreed to sign, and he in fact did sign, the note as a co-maker with his son.

The application for the loan was approved by the Board of Directors of the credit union, and Davis then promptly contacted the saleslady at Gray’s Sales and Service by telephone and informed her of that approval. The parties were not able to complete the sale of that automobile, however, because Ruben had failed to make a deposit on it, and the dealer sold that vehicle to someone else before Ruben’s application for a loan was approved.

Ruben then selected another Datsun automobile to purchase, and on March 3, 1975, he executed a written sales agreement prepared by Gray’s Sales and Service for the purchase of that car. On the following day, March 4, he deposited $50.00 with the dealer so that the car would be held until another loan could be obtained. The automobile he selected on that occasion was a little more expensive than was the first one, and it became necessary for him to borrow about $200.00 more than he had originally planned to borrow. Davis informed Ruben that since he was purchasing a different automobile for a different price he would have to make an entirely new application to the credit union for a loan in the increased amount. All of the documents which had been completed in connection with the first loan application were destroyed. Ruben then completed and submitted to the credit union a new application for a loan and all of the documents required by the union at that time. The following documents were completed and submitted by Ruben: (1) An application for a loan; (2) a promissory note signed by Ruben and his father, Ben Mus-quez, the latter signing as a co-maker; (3) three chattel mortgage forms; (4) an application for a certificate of title; (5) a consumer credit disclosure form; and (6) a letter asking the insurer to change the loss payee clause on the policy making it payable to Barksdale Federal Credit Union, at Fort Polk.

The total purchase price of the car was $4,249.46. Ruben planned to pay $612.00 of that purchase price in cash, and to borrow the remaining balance of $3,637.46 from the credit union. The note which he and his father executed, made payable to defendant, was for the last mentioned amount.

The application of Ruben for a loan in the increased amount was approved by all of the proper officials of the credit union. On the afternoon of Friday, March 7, 1975, Davis contacted the saleslady at the Datsun dealership by telephone and informed her that the loan had been approved, and that all that remained to be done was for the buyer to bring to the credit union a slip of paper showing that he had insurance on the car. Davis then informed Ruben that afternoon that “everything was approved and ready,” but that Ruben couldn’t pick up the car until he furnished proof that he had insurance on the vehicle. Davis also called Ruben’s father, Ben Musquez, by telephone on March 7, and informed him that the loan had been approved. He didn’t mention to Ben, however, that it would be necessary for Ruben to furnish evidence of insurance before he could take possession of the car.

Ruben was involved in a motor vehicle collision on the next day, March 8, and he died on Sunday, March 9. He had not picked up the car and the proceeds of the loan had not been disbursed by that time. Plaintiff, Ben Musquez, completed the purchase of the automobile after his son’s death. He obtained a loan from a bank in DeRidder, however, and he used the proceeds of that loan to pay the purchase price.

The by-laws of the Barksdale Federal Credit Union provide that in connection with each loan made by that institution, [403]*403credit life insurance is provided the borrower, that is, the life of the borrower is insured for the amount due on the loan. That life insurance coverage is provided by the credit union at no cost to the borrower. No formal or written life insurance policy, however, is ever issued to the borrower. All that is required of a qualified borrower to obtain credit life insurance is for him to sign a statement on the loan application to the effect that he is not presently restricted in full time employment by reason of his health. Ruben signed that statement in his application for the above loan.

Harold Hansen, the administrative manager of the defendant credit union, testified that the life insurance coverage which the union provides for each borrower becomes effective on the first day interest on the loan is incurred. He explained that interest begins to run “when the check is cut and the loan is booked and placed into the records.” In the instant suit a check for the amount of the loan had not been “cut,” or issued, by the time of Ruben’s death. The evidence does not show whether the loan had been “booked” or “placed into the records” by that time. It does show, however, that it was customary for a dealer to deliver an automobile to the purchaser upon being informed by the defendant credit union that the purchaser’s application for a loan had been “approved,” although a check for the proceeds of the loan would not be cut or issued until several days later.

Mr. Davis, loan counselor for the defendant credit union, testified that it was the standard policy of that institution to require the borrower to furnish proof of the fact that he had comprehensive and collision insurance coverage affecting the mortgaged automobile. He stated that ordinarily the credit union would inform the dealer that the financing of the car had been arranged, but that in a case where proof of insurance had not been supplied, it would instruct the dealer to not release the ear to the borrower until proof of the required insurance had been furnished. Some of his testimony to that effect is as follows:

“. . .

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

Related

Mire v. Haas
174 So. 374 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1937)
Blaushild v. Rockhold
7 La. App. 709 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1927)
Wagenvoord Broadcasting Co. v. Le Blanc
221 So. 2d 282 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
343 So. 2d 401, 1977 La. App. LEXIS 5181, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/musquez-v-barksdale-federal-credit-union-lactapp-1977.