New York Life Ins. Co. v. Rositzky

45 F.2d 758, 1930 U.S. App. LEXIS 3736
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedDecember 12, 1930
Docket8825
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 45 F.2d 758 (New York Life Ins. Co. v. Rositzky) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
New York Life Ins. Co. v. Rositzky, 45 F.2d 758, 1930 U.S. App. LEXIS 3736 (8th Cir. 1930).

Opinion

KENYON, Circuit Judge.

Appellee as beneficiary brought suit on four life insurance policies issued by appellant upon the life of Philip Rositzky, a resident of Missouri. This appeal relates Co only one thereof, liability being unquestioned as to the others. Upon the policy in question (No. 6659088), appellant admits liability for $5,000, but contests the right to recover the additional $5,000 which the policy provides shall be paid if the death of insured results directly from accident within sixty days from the injury. A jury was waived in writing, and the court made findings of fact and conclusions of law, holding that the policy in *759 controversy was by virtue of section 6151, Revised Statutes of Missouri 1919, continued in force, notwithstanding' lapse in payment of premium,. as extended insurance for the full amount of $10,000 to a time beyond assured’s death. What appellant "in the brief designates specification of error III clearly raises the real question in the case, viz.:

“The District Court erred in holding, finding and declaring the law to be that the policy here in controversy (No. 6659088) was continued in force upon its lapse for the nonpayment of the premium duo February 2, 1928, as extended insurance, under section 6151, R. S. Mo. 1919, for the sum of $10,-000.00, to a date beyond insured’s death.”

As to the question of recovery for vexatious delay, which was before the trial court, it was agreed in the oral argument before us that such point was eliminated. So wo consider but the one question, i. e., did the court err in its holding that the insurance as to the $5,000 provided in case of death by accidental means was extended by the Missouri statutes.

The policy provided in part as follows:

“Policy No. 6659088

Chartered 1841

New York Life Insurance Company Agrees to Pay

.to Rose, wife of the Insured * *

(with the right on the part of the Insured to

-Beneficiary

Change the Beneficiary in the manner provided in Section 6)

** Five Thousand ” * Dollars (the face of this Policy) , upon receipt of due proof of the death of Philip Rositzky "* the Insured; or “Double the Face of This Policy upon receipt of due proof that the death of the Insured resulted directly and independently of all other causes from bodily injury effected solely through external, violent and accidental cause, and that such death occurred within sixty days after sustaining such injury. ***** *

“And the Company Agrees to Pay to the Insured One-Tenth of the Face of This Policy per annum, during the lifetime of the insured, if the Insured becomes wholly and permanently disabled before age 60, subject to all the terms and conditions contained in Section 1 hereof.

“This contract is made in consideration of the payment in advance of the sum of $210.-00, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, constituting the first premium and maintaining this Policy to tho Second day of February Nineteen Hundred and Twenty-one and of a like sum on said date and every Twelve calendar months thereafter during-the life of the Insured until premiums for Twenty full years in all shall have been paid from the date on which this Policy takes effect.

*•••*•

“The * * * annual premium for the Total and Permanent Disability Benefits is $7.25, and is included in the premium stated on the first page of this Policy. Any premium due on or after the anniversary of the Policy on which the age of the Insured at nearest birthday is 60, shall be reduced by the amount of premium charged for the Disability Benefits.”

The premium on tho policy was due February 2, 1928.. Through some claimed inadvertence on the part of insured’s daughter it was not paid, which mistake was undiscovered until the following June, when Mr. Rositzky made application for reinstatement of the policy, and gave his eheek to appellant for the premium, which was duly deposited by tho appellant’s branch office at St. Joseph, Mo. On July 3, 1928, the insured, Philip Rositzky, was killed in an automobile accident. Due proofs of loss were made to the insurance company. On September 13, 3928, some months after Rositzky’s death, appellant addressed a letter to him at St. Joseph, sending the company’s check for the last premium paid, and stating that: “The policy stands lapsed on the Company’s books as of February 2nd, 1928.” More than three premiums had been paid on this policy. In the trial an agreement was entered into as to its net value as follows:

“In lieu of the figures that we gave as the net value of policy 6659088, on February 2, 3928, it is agreed that the net value of that policy on that date, computed upon the actuary’s or combined experience tables of mortality, with interest at four per cent, per annum, is $863.80, of which three-fourths is $647.85.”

It is unquestioned that if this $647.85 had been used as a single premium it would have been sufficient to extend the policy for tho full amount of $10,000 beyond the date of insured’s death.

Section 4 of the policy—surrender value —is as follows:

“After - three‘full years’ premiums have *760 been paid, the Insured may, at the end of any insurance year or within three months after-any default in payment of premium, but not later, surrender this policy, and

“(1)' Receive its Cash Surrender Value; or

“(2) Receive the amount of non-participating paid-up insurance which the cash surrender value at date of default less any indebtedness hereon will purchase payable at the same time and on the same conditions as this policy, but without disability or double indemnity benefits. The insured may at any time obtain a loan on such paid-up insurance, or surrender it for its cash surrender value; or

“(3) If the policy be not surrendered for cásh or for paid-up insurance within three months after default in payment of premium, its cash surrender value at date of default, less the amount of any indebtedness, shall automatically purchase continued insurance from the date of default for the face of the policy plus any dividend additions and less any indebtedness to the company. The continued insurance shall be without future participation and without the right to loans, cash surrender values, disability or double indemnity benefits.”

It will be observed that the parties of the policy thereby agreed that no part of the surrender value of the same at the time of any default in payment was to be applied to the purchase of further double indemnity benefits. If that agreement is binding, it would end the case. Of course, appellant could not make a Missouri contract, as this was, in violation of the statutes of Missouri, which must be considered as part of the policy contract and to have the same effect as if written therein. Melvina Whittaker v. Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, 133 Mo. App. 664, 114 S. W. 53; Cravens v. New York Life Insurance Company, 148 Mo. 583, 50 S. W. 519, 53 L. R. A. 305, 71 Am. St. Rep. 628; Id., 178 U. S. 389, 20 S. Ct. 962, 44 L. Ed. 1116; Smith v. Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Co., 173 Mo. 329, 72 S. W. 935; Great Southern Life Ins. Co. v. Jones (C. C. A.) 35 F.(2d) 122.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
45 F.2d 758, 1930 U.S. App. LEXIS 3736, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/new-york-life-ins-co-v-rositzky-ca8-1930.