National Security Fire and Casualty Co. v. Hester

298 So. 2d 236, 292 Ala. 592, 1974 Ala. LEXIS 1121
CourtSupreme Court of Alabama
DecidedJuly 25, 1974
DocketSC 732
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 298 So. 2d 236 (National Security Fire and Casualty Co. v. Hester) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
National Security Fire and Casualty Co. v. Hester, 298 So. 2d 236, 292 Ala. 592, 1974 Ala. LEXIS 1121 (Ala. 1974).

Opinion

BLOODWORTH, Justice.

The appellant (complainant below), National Security Fire and Casualty Company, filed a complaint in the Circuit Court of Colbert County against the appellees (respondents below, Walston Hester, Jerry Bolton, Sarah Bolton, and the Farmers Home Administration seeking a declaratory judgment that National Security was not liable on a policy of fire insurance issued to the Boltons on the ground that the Boltons had no insurable interest in the dwelling house covered by the policy in that Hester was the true owner. [Farmers Home Adminstration made, no claim and was dismissed from the suit.] The respondents, by cross-bill, claim the full amount of the policy, $6,000.00, and allege that the Boltons were vendees in possession of the insured dwelling at the time of the fire and thus had an insurable interest therein. The circuit judge, sitting without a jury, denied the relief sought by National Security and rendered judgment in favor of the Boltons and against National Security in the sum of $6,000.00. Hence, this appeal. We affirm.

It appears that on September 16, 1972, Walston Hester granted the Boltons a written option to purchase one hundred forty-one acres of land in Colbert County on which was situated a small house. The purchase price was stated to be $35,250.00. The option on a standard F. H. A. form, was, by its terms, irrevocable for a period of six months and recited the receipt by Hester from Bolton of $1.00. It contained the following clause:

“9. Loss or damage to the property by fire or from an act of God shall be at the risk of the seller until the deed to the buyer has been recorded and in the event that such loss or damage occurs, the buyer may, without liability, refuse to accept conveyance of title or he may elect to accept conveyance of title in which case there shall be an equitable adjustment of the purchase price.” (Emphasis supplied.)

*595 On October 10, 1972, the Boltons accepted the offer, in writing, on the terms contained in the option. Following the Boltons’ acceptance, the F. H. A. agreed to loan the Boltons part of the purchase money. As a condition of the loan commitment, the Boltons were required to purchase a $6,000.00 standard fire insurance policy on the house. Shortly after the F. H. A.’s loan commitment, the Boltons moved into the house. On October 17, 1972, the Boltons applied for the necessary insurance at the City Insurance Agency at Russellville, Alabama. The agent, one Masingill, filled in and signed the application on a form supplied by National Security. On the following day, National Security issued the policy in the name of the Boltons. The policy was likewise signed by Masingill.

On November 21, 1972, the house, while occupied by the Boltons, was completely destroyed by fire. The loan from F. H. A. was never closed.

Before the fire, the Boltons had improved the insured house by replacing numerous windows and doors, and laying linoleum. The value of these improvements was in dispute.

In January, 1973, Hester and the Boltons executed a new contract on the same property except for the two acres on which the house had been situated. The new purchase price was $28,500.00. Hester built a new house on the two acres, and although the Boltons moved into the new house, Hester still owns the house, as well as the two acres on which it is situated, and there exists no contract for its purchase between Hester and the Boltons. Mr. Bolton testified that if he ultimately prevails in this suit, he will pay the money to Hester even though he is not legally obligated to do so.

The application form on which the agent took the Bolton’s application for insurance contains this question: “Does applicant have full legal title?” Thereafter appears a blank, and written in handwriting, the answer: “Yes.” There also appears the question: “Is property occupied by owner?” and thereafter a blank and the answer: “Yes,” again written in handwriting. This form was signed by the agent — not the Boltons.

The policy of fire insurance issued by National Security provides as follows :

“INSURANCE PRO-RATED TO INSURED’S INTEREST: If the subject of this insurance be a building located upon land not owned solely by the named insured, the insurance applicable to such building in case of loss shall cover only for the benefit of the named insured and then only in the proportion of the insured’s interest to all interests in the land on which the insured building is/was located.”

The appellant has made five assignments of error. Assignments of error three, four and five charge, in essence, that the evidence is insufficient to support certain findings of fact by the trial court. In regard to those assignments, the appellant has not included a condensed recital of the evidence given by each witness in narrative form as required by our Rule 9(b). Furthermore, in the argument purportedly directed to those assignments of error, the appellant has cited no authority but rather argues that'the trial court erred in allowing Hester (the vendor) to give his opinion as to the value of the house before the fire in that Hester had not been qualified as an expert. Since the appellant has made no assignment of error raising this latter issue, this issue is not presented to us on this appeal. Likewise, since none of !he argument is directed to those assignments of error which do raise the sufficiency of the evidence, the same are considered waived. Lowery v. Stinson, 291 Ala. 415, 282 So.2d 244 (1973).

We now address ourselves to the remaining two assignments of error which comprise the heart of appellant’s contentions.

In assignment of error one, appellant contends that the court erred in holding that the Boltons had an insurable interest *596 in the subject property. In support of this assignment of error, appellant argues that before legal title passes, a vendee has an insurable interest in the property purchased only if the risk of loss has shifted to the vendee and that under the contract between Hester and Bolton, the risk of loss remained with Hester, the vendor, citing Alabama Farm Bureau Mutual Ins. Serv. v. Nixon, 268 Ala. 271, 105 So.2d 643 (1958).

In assignment of error two, appellant contends that if the Boltons had any insurable interest in the subject property it was an interest less than the full value of the property. In support of this assignment of error, appellant argues that one who has less than full legal title can only have an insurable interest to the extent of the value of that interest and that the value of the Boltons’ interest was the $1.00 option money, citing Royal Exch. Assur. of London, Eng. v. Almon, 206 Ala. 45, 89 So. 76 (1921).

In opposition to these arguments, appellees contend that a vendee in possession, who has made partial payment and improved the property has an insurable interest equal to the full value of the insured property because such vendee has a substantial interest in its preservation, citing American Equitable Assur. Co. v. Powderly Coal & Lumber Co., 221 Ala. 280, 128 So. 225 (1930).

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Bluebook (online)
298 So. 2d 236, 292 Ala. 592, 1974 Ala. LEXIS 1121, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/national-security-fire-and-casualty-co-v-hester-ala-1974.