Newberry v. Fireman's Fund Insurance

485 S.W.2d 731, 253 Ark. 330, 1972 Ark. LEXIS 1462
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedOctober 23, 1972
Docket5-6031
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 485 S.W.2d 731 (Newberry v. Fireman's Fund Insurance) 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
Newberry v. Fireman's Fund Insurance, 485 S.W.2d 731, 253 Ark. 330, 1972 Ark. LEXIS 1462 (Ark. 1972).

Opinion

J. Fred Jones, Justice.

This is an appeal by Lelan L. Newberry from a decree of the Greene County Chancery Court wherein Newberry’s complaint against Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, J. I. Case Company, J. I. Case Credit Corporation and Curtis Cruse d/b/a Curtis Cruse Company was dismissed and judgment was rendered in favor of J. I. Case Credit Corporation against Newberry in the amount of $1,545.23, together with costs and $150 attorney’s fee.

On his appeal to this court Mr. Newberry relies on the following points for reversal:

“The lower court erred in not finding appellee insurance company was negligent and violated its insurance contract by waiting more than 60 days to negotiate an adjustment of this loss and failing to make any adjustment with this appellant and permitting this tractor (the insured property) to be sold after this suit was started.
The lower court erred in not finding that the J. I. Case Credit Corporation caused a violation of the sale contract and breached its contract with Mr. New-berry by selling the tractor before the insurance adjustment was made and after this suit was filed, thereby causing a rescission of the sale contract.”

The facts as we gather them from the record are as follows: On or about November 20, 1969, Mr. Newberry purchased a new Case tractor from the local Case tractor dealer, Curtis Cruse d/b/a Curtis Cruse Company, for a total sale price of $7,665. Mr. Newberry traded in his old tractor for a credit of $2,000 on the purchase price of the new tractor and executed his note for the balance of the purchase price in the amount of $5,665. This amount was to be paid in equal annual installments of $1,819.98 payable on December 1, 1970, and on December 1 each year through 1973. Under the installment contract Mr. Newberry agreed to furnish physical damage insurance on the tractor, and by his contract he authorized the seller to obtain the insurance at a cost of $123.97 to be added to the note. This insurance was obtained through a policy issued by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company of San Francisco, with J. I. Case Company, J. I. Case Credit Corporation, Curtis Cruse d/b/a Curtis Cruse Company, as well as the purchaser Leían L. Newberry, being the named beneficiaries under the terms of the policy as their interest should appear. Mr. Newberry took delivery of the tractor and used it in his farming operations until on or about October 31, 1970, when the tractor was damaged by fire. On November 2, 1970, Mr. Newberry notified Curtis Cruse of the loss and requested that the insurance company be notified and the loss adjusted. Mr. Newberry claimed that the tractor was a total loss because of the fire and that was his contention at all times.

On or about December 11, 1970, upon request of an insurance adjuster for Fireman’s Fund, the Case tractor dealer, Curtis Cruse, picked the tractor up and removed it to the company’s place of business in Paragould, Arkansas. While the tractor was in the possession of Curtis Cruse Company and before any adjustment was made on the insurance loss, the December, 1970, installment became due on the purchase price of the tractor and in January, 1971, Mr. Newberry received notice from the J. I. Case Credit Corporation that the payment was past due. On January 20, 1971, Mr. Newberry, through his attorney, advised the J. I. Case Credit Corporation by letter that the tractor was destroyed by fire and that the Case dealer, Mr. Curtis Cruse, had picked up the remains of the tractor; that the insurance adjuster had advised Mr. Newberry that he would be contacted by the J. I. Case Company and the insurance company, and that a settlement of the loss would be made. The letter then advised that no further information had been received by Mr. Newberry and that he was in need of a new tractor but was waiting settlement of the insurance.

Apparently some negotiations were carried on, or at least some discussion was had, between the General Adjustment Bureau representing the insurance company and Mr. Newberry pertaining to the repair of the tractor in settlement of the claim under the insurance policy, because on February 11, 1971, Mr. Newberry’s attorneys wrote a letter to Mr. Felts of the General Adjustment Bureau which stated in part as follows:

“Mr. Newberry does not want to accept this tractor after it has been repaired for the reason it will, not carry a guarantee and he feels that the fire did permanent damage to the tractor.”

The tractor was repaired at a total cost of $1,991.10.

By letter dated February 14, 1971, from J. I. Case Credit Corporation to Mr. Newberry, a previous meeting between the parties was mentioned and the letter then stated in part as follows:

“We will extend the account until 2-18-71, and at that time you are to give us a decision as to paying the payment, plus interest, and signing the insurance check covering the repairs to the tractor, which is now stored at Mr. Cruse’s place of business.
This letter will further confirm that, if you do not wish to pay the payment and sign the check, we will have to take the necessary action we deem proper in protecting our security after February 18th.”

Under date of February 18, 1971, Mr. Newberry, through his attorneys, responded to the J. I. Case Credit Corporation’s letter of February 15 in part as follows:

“We feel you should insist on an insurance adjustment in this matter before any suit is brought against Mr. Newberry; however, if you do file suit in this matter, we will bring the insurance company into the suit and will file a counterclaim against the Case Tractor Company and the insurance company for damages caused by the taking of this tractor and the delay in making a proper adjustment in this matter.
We have asked the insurance company to confer with us about an adjustment. This they have not done. It is very possible that a lawsuit will be the only way this case can be settled, and we prefer that you start it.”

The J. I. Case Credit Corporation did proceed to enforce its security agreement by sale of the tractor at public sale on June 11, 1971. The net proceeds from the sale amounted to $5,050 which amount was credited to Mr. Newberry’s account leaving a balance of $1,545.23 he still owed on the purchase price of the tractor.

On June 9, 1971, two days before the sale as above set out, Mr. Newberry filed the present suit against Fireman’s Fund American Insurance Companies, J. I. Case Company, J. I. Case Credit Corporation and Curtis Cruse d/b/a Curtis Cruse Company praying judgment against the insurance company for $1,600 representing loss of equity in the tractor which was destroyed by fire and insured by the defendant insurance company, and for judgment against all the defendants in the amount of $5,000 as damages for delay and failure to adjust the insurance loss. The defendants filed demurrers to the complaint in equity and by amendment Mr. Newberry sought cancellation of his contract of purchase. Trial on the merits resulted in a decree awarding judgment in favor of J. I. Case Credit Corporation against Mr. Newberry for the balance of the purchase price due on the tractor in the amount of $1,545.23, together with interest from June 11, 1971, $150 attorney’s fee and court costs.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
485 S.W.2d 731, 253 Ark. 330, 1972 Ark. LEXIS 1462, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/newberry-v-firemans-fund-insurance-ark-1972.