Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Hynson

283 S.W. 357, 171 Ark. 218, 1926 Ark. LEXIS 425
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMay 24, 1926
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 283 S.W. 357 (Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Hynson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Hynson, 283 S.W. 357, 171 Ark. 218, 1926 Ark. LEXIS 425 (Ark. 1926).

Opinion

Hart, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment in favor of Carrie E. Hynson against the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, which was entered on the verdict of a jury on a life insurance policy.

Counsel for appellant seek to reverse the judgment on the ground that the undisputed evidence shows that tli© policy sued on had been forfeited and had not been reinstated.

In March, 1905, the Mutual Life Insurance Company-of New York issued a policy in the sum of $1,000 upon the life of L. M. Hynson in which his wife, Carrie E. Hynson, was named as the beneficiary. The policy was a twenty-year deferred dividend policy, and no dividend would be accumulated or accredited to the policy unless the insured was alive and the policy in force on March 16, 1925.

In June, 1921, L. M. Hynson applied for and received a loan on the policy for the amount of $378. A note was given for this amount to the company, which was not paid at maturity. On April 17, 1922, the policy was canceled for the nonpayment of the loan due on March 16, 1922, and for the nonpayment of the annual premium due on the same day. At the time the policy was canceled it was of the value of $378, and the entire cash surrender value was applied in liquidation of the loan.

The records of the company show a cancellation of the policy on April 17, 1922, and the reason is that the company gives to each policy-holder thirty-one days time after due within which to pay or renew the loan. The policy contained no provision for reinstatement, and on the contrary contained a provision as follows: “Notice — No person, -except an executive officer of the. company or its secretary at its head office in New York, has power on behalf of the company to make, modify or alter this contract, to extend the time for paying a premium, to bind the company by making any promise or by accepting any representation or information not contained in the application for this contract. ”

On March 16, 1924, L. M. Hynson wrote to the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York at its home office to advise him of the status of his policy. On March 24, 1924, the company advised him that his policy •had lapsed for nonpayment of the premium and interest on the loan due March 16, 1922,

This letter was written by the manager of the Memphis agency of the insurance company, and informed Hynson that it had written the home office to quote the cost of reinstating the policy, and that as soon as the information was received he would be notified. On April 7, 1924, the manager of the Memphis agency wrote L. M. Hynson at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, that he was advised by the home office that it would consider the restoration of the policy upon receipt of satisfactory certificate of health, restoration of the loan agreement, and the payment of $149.34, made up of certain items which are set out. The letter inclosed a health certificate form and a restoration note. The letter concludes as follows: “If health certificate is furnished and approved and the $149.34 paid, your policy will be fully reinstated.”

R. T. Hynson, a brother of L. M. Hynson, went to the Memphis agency of the insurance company to see about getting the policy of his brother reinstated. The manager of the office told him that there was a further loan value on the policy, and that by the execution of a new note for the amount of the old loan and the additional loan value with a payment of $50.34 in cash the policy would be reinstated. R. T. Hynson took the application for reinstatement to Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, and procured his brother’s signature to it.

The application contained the following: “It being understood and agreed that such placing in force shall not take effect until this application shall have been finally aproved at the said company’s home office in New York City, nor until the said premium and interest have been paid.” R. T. Hynson also procured the signature to a note for $477 as required by the manager of the Memphis agency. He delivered this note, together with the health certificate and a check for $50.34, to the manager of the Memphis agency of the company, and said that he considered the transaction closed.

On this point we quote from his testimony on direct examination as follows: “Q. Did he tell you that this policy was reinstated when you delivered this note for $477 and the check for $50.34? A. Yes sir. Q. iWhat did he say about the policy being reinstated? A. I asked him what it would take to reinstate the policy, and he gave me these papers, and when they were executed the policy was to he reinstated, and when I gave him the note and check there was no further conversation after that.”

On the same point we quote from his cross-examination as follows:

“Q. You took the papers and delivered them, with your check for $50.34, at Memphis? A. Yes sir, those papers and my check for $50.34. Q. On your second visit did you talk to the same man? A. Yes sir. Q. You had no further conversation about the matter? A. No sir, no further conversation, except to hand him the papers, and he looked them over and said they were all right. ’ ’

On May 29, 1924, the manager of the Memphis agency wrote to L. M. Hynson at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, the following:

“We regret to advise you that, the company has declined to reinstate your policy. We will return the loan agreement recently executed as soon as it can he sent to us from the home office.”

On June 1, 1924, L. M. Hynson wrote to the manager of the Memphis agency to advise him the reason why the company would not reinstate the policy, and also to inform him if he was entitled to any surrender value, as the policy lapsed for nonpayment on March 16, 1922.

On June 4,1924, the manager wrote to L. M. Hynson as follows: “Referring to your letter of the 1st, we do not know why the home office declined to reinstate this policy, but are today writing them, stating that you would like to know why, and will write to you farther upon receipt of their reply.

“The full cash value of this policy on March 16, 1922, Avas $378, which amount you had previously drawn as a loan. There was therefore no reserve left to he applied to the purchase of paid-up insurance.”

On June 16, 1924, the manager of the Memphis branch office wrote to L. M. Hynson at Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, inclosing a copy of the letter from the home office telling why it would not restore the policy in question. On June 27, 1924, the manager of the Memphis agency wrote to R. T. Hynson in Memphis, the following:

“Policy Number 1574519 — L. M. Hynson.
“Dear sir: We are returning herewith loan note executed by L. M. Hynson under this policy, which the company has declined to reinstate.
“If you will have him sign and return the inclosed voucher, we will send our check for $50.34 covering refund of amount paid as balance required to complete the loan. ” ,

L. M. Hynson was suddenly killed in Pulton County, Arkansas, on June 22, 1924.

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Bluebook (online)
283 S.W. 357, 171 Ark. 218, 1926 Ark. LEXIS 425, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mutual-life-insurance-company-v-hynson-ark-1926.