Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Manley

152 N.E.2d 691, 78 Ohio Law. Abs. 362, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 1074
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedApril 4, 1957
DocketNo. 1378
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 152 N.E.2d 691 (Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Manley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Manley, 152 N.E.2d 691, 78 Ohio Law. Abs. 362, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 1074 (Ohio Ct. App. 1957).

Opinion

OPINION

By PHILLIPS, J.

On November 12, 1954, plaintiff, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, issued its policy of insurance No. 92R-176-050 to defendant, Frances E. Simpson insuring her until March 18, 1955, against personal injuries to others and property damages caused by her negligent operation of her Chevrolet sedan. At the date of issuance plaintiff mistakenly purported to cancel its policy number 92R-162-955 issued to Charles Simpson and the Second National Bank, as mortgagee, on the Kaiser automobile of Charles Simpson and to credit policy 92R-176-050 with $24.40 part of the unearned premium of purported cancelled policy 92R-162-955. On November 18, 1954, plaintiff paid defendant Frances E. Simpson $20.17 as the amount of the unearned premium on policy number 92R-162-955.

Thereafter plaintiff advised Charles Simpson and defendant, Frances E. Simpson, his wife, of its mistake in crediting policy number 92R-176-050 with part of the unearned premium of policy 92R-162-955, and of paying the balance thereof to Charles Simpson, and requested that such amount be repaid to it.

By its terms policy 92R-176-050 provided for cancellation thereof by plaintiff by mailing to the named insured, defendant, Frances E. Simpson, at the address shown in the policy written notice of such cancellation when not less than ten days thereafter such cancellation should be effective.

In accordance with the stated provisions of policy 92R-176-050, on March 4, 1955, plaintiff notified Frances E. Simpson by letter, which letter v/as received by defendant Simpson on March 7, 1955, that policy No. 92R-176-050 was cancelled effective 12:01 A. M. March 18, 1955, unless $28.30, the amount of the premium paid to The Second National Bank, was paid plaintiff by that time, which was not paid at that time on that date.

On March 27, 1955, the Chevrolet automobile theretofore insured by policy 92R-176-050 and being driven by defendant, Frances E. Simpson, was involved in a collision with a taxicab owned and operated by Warren Zone Cab Company, in which cab defendant, John Manley, was a passenger.

As the result of such collision defendant Manley sued defendant, [364]*364Frances E. Simpson, and Warren Zone Cab Company in the court of common pleas in case numbered 64649 on the docket of that court to recover damages for personal injuries received allegedly as the result of defendant’s negligence in such collision on March 27, 1955.

While case number 64649 was pending in the court of common pleas plaintiff filed an action in the court of common pleas against defendant, Frances E. Simpson, Warren Zone Cab Company, and John Manley in which they prayed for a declaratory judgment as follows:—

“* * * finding and declaring that policy No. 92R-176-050 aforesaid was duly cancelled effective March 18, 1955, and that defendants or any of them have no rights thereunder and no claim against this plaintiff; that this plaintiff is under no duty to defend any action against the defendant Frances E. Simpson against any action arising subsequent to March 18, 1955; that such policy does not indemnify the defendant Frances E. Simpson, John Manley or Warren Zone Cab Company, and that this plaintiff is not liable for any judgment which may or might hereafter be recovered in the action aforesaid or otherwise; for its costs and for all such other relief as may be necessary and proper for the protection of this plaintiff in the premises.”

The evidence supports the statement made by plaintiff’s counsel by brief that:—

“On March 28,1955, Charles Simpson appeared at the Warren office of plaintiff and paid $7.13 (R. 144-146) which money was to be paid to Ross Baker for a ‘New Pol.’, and was in fact so paid to him (DX-A). No explanation was offered by Mr. Simpson when he testified as to the purpose of such payment and it stands unexplained and unrelated to any of the transactions surrounding cancellation of policy No. 92R-176-050.
“On March 31, 1955, defendant Simpson acquired title to a 1949 Pontiac (PX-22; R. 153, 157) and on April 11, 1955, Charles Simpson applied for insurance on his wife’s Pontiac. Pursuant thereto policy No. 92R-201-686 (PX-22) was issued as of April 11, 1955, although no premium was paid at that date (R. 152, 159). Two days later Mr. Simpson paid a $24.40 premium at the Warren office of plaintiff (DX-B, R. 147). While he testified that he did not know what that payment was for, it was the amount of the premium due on a new policy No. 92R-201-686, and being paid two days after the policy was applied for and taken out must have been meant to apply to the new policy In any event, while the receipt (DX-B) bore the policy No. 92R-176-050, that reference was made for the purpose of reviving the defendant’s membership so that it could be transferred to the new policy (R. 157) and the Due Date 4-19-55 was after the collision. Liability coverages were not reinstated and were the result of the new contract entered into on. April 11,1955. That contract was to operate prospectively and not retroactively as the six month term April 11, to October 11, 1955 shows. Mr. Simpson also had his own car, a Cadillac, insured with plaintiff and a like $24.40 premium was due on Cadillac policy at the time the $24.40 was paid (DX-D).”

The trial judge sitting as the trier of the facts by agreement of counsel, acting on the request of defendant Manley, made findings of fact in writing substantially as set forth in the prayer of plaintiff’s petition, [365]*365and in the factual statement of this opinion, and entered judgment accordingly.

Defendant Manley appealed from that judgment on questions of lav/ and filed nine assigned grounds of error in which he contends the trial judge erred to his prejudice, which, as suggested by counsel for plaintiff-appellee by brief, in our judgment present the following questions:—

“1. Was defendant-appellant Manley a proper party to this action?
“2. Was plaintiff’s policy No. 92R-176-050 issued to defendant Simpson on November 12, 1954 cancelled as of 12:01 a. m., March 18, 1955?
•‘3. Did plaintiff-appellee, by its conduct waive cancellation of policy No. 92R-176-050? (This was not an issue in the case but we shall, nevertheless, discuss it.)” (sic.)

In the case of Travelers Indemnity Co. v. Cochrane, Jr., 155 Oh St 305, it is said in the first paragraph of the syllabus:—

“A controversy between an insurer and his insured under an automobile liability insurance policy as to the fact or extent of liability thereunder .to persons injured as a result of the operation of the insured automobile or as to the insurer’s obligation to defend the insured in an action for damages against him is an actual or justiciable controversy determinable by a declaratory judgment.”

On authority of that case we conclude that defendant-appellant Manley was a proper party to this action.

Also see Maryland Casualty Co. v. Pacific Coal & Oil Co., 312 U. S. 270, 61 S. Ct. 510; and Universal Underwriters v. Gran, 52 O. O. 60.

The cancellation clause of policy 92R-176-050 provides:—

“21. Cancellation.

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Bluebook (online)
152 N.E.2d 691, 78 Ohio Law. Abs. 362, 1957 Ohio App. LEXIS 1074, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nationwide-mutual-insurance-v-manley-ohioctapp-1957.