Pacific Finance Corporation v. Moody

272 S.W.2d 403, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2170
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 27, 1954
Docket10247
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 272 S.W.2d 403 (Pacific Finance Corporation v. Moody) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Pacific Finance Corporation v. Moody, 272 S.W.2d 403, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2170 (Tex. Ct. App. 1954).

Opinion

GRAY, Justice.

• This suit was instituted by Jane Wylie for herself and as next friend for her minor daughter, Becky Wylie, against C. C. Collier, Collier Company,. Inc,, D- A. Long, Pacific Finance Corporation (later called Pacific) and Old Republic Credit Life Insurance Company (later called Republic). "The purpose of the suit was to recover upon a policy of credit life insurance issued by Republic.

It was alleged that Jane Wylie acting as agent for her husband, Charles Edward Wylie, applied to C. C. Collier and Collier Company, Inc. to finance'the purchase of an automobile and for a policy of credit life insurance covering the ' indebtedness of Charles Edward’ Wylie due to the purchase of said automobile, and that C. C. Collier and Collier Company, Inc. acting as agent for Pacific and Pacific as agent for Republic by mistake issued such policy in the name of D. A. Long instead of. in the name of Charles Edward Wylie.

It was alleged that Charles Edward Wylie died prior to the filing of this suit and that Jane Wylie and Becky Wylie are his survivors.

After this suit was filed Jane Wylie married Jack Moody who joined her as a party plaintiff.

All parties answered and the cause was tried to a jury. The trial court included in his charge to the jury a definition of the terms “agent” and “special agent.” In answers to special issues the jury found: (1) Jane Wylie was acting as agent for Charles Edward Wylie at the time the application to finance the automobile, and the application for credit life insurance *405 were made; (2) that she was acting within the scope of her agency; (3) that on the occasion in question C. C. Collier was acting as special agent for Pacific; (4) that at such time he was acting within the scope of his special agency; (5) that C. C. Collier agreed with Jane Wylie that the policy of credit life insurance would be on the life- of Charles Edward Wylie; (6) that the failure of the insurance policy to contain the name of Charles Edward Wylie as the insured was caused by the mutual mistake of C. C. Collier arid Jane Wylie; (7) that on the' occasion in question C. C. Collier arid Jane Wylie agreed that Charles Edward Wylie would be liable for the payments on the automobile. There are no issues 8 and 9. By further answers to special issues the jury found: (10) that between October 6, 1952, and December 12, 1952, plaintiffs did not accept the certificate of insurance as issued (by Pacific); (11) that plaintiffs and D. A. Long by the cause of their conduct between October 6, 1952 and December 12, 1952, did not lead defendants to reasonably believe that they had no complaint to the insurance on the life of D. A. Long. Issues 12, 13 and 14 were conditionally submitted and were not answered. By their further answers the jury found: (15) that C. C. Collier forwarded proof of loss and notice of death of Charles Edward Wylie to Pacific, and (16) that Pacific did not forward proof of loss and notice of death of Charles Edward Wylie to Republic.

The trial court overruled the motions of Pacific and Republic for judgment non obstante veredicto and rendered judgment against them, jointly and severally, for the amount of the alleged indebtedness. Pacific and Republic have appealed.

The evidence shows that Jane Wylie and her husband Charles Edward Wylie resided in the State of New Mexico but were in Goldthwaite on a visit and desired to purchase an automobile. Pursuant to this purpose they drove and tried out an automobile offered for sale by ' C. C. Collier or Collier Company, Inc. No sale was consummated and Charles Edward Wylie returned to New Mexico where he was employed. However, -before leaving he gave money to D. A. Long with which to make a down payment on an automobile. Shortly thereafter Jane Wylie and her father, D. A. Long, purchased an automobile from -Caruthers Motor Company in Goldthwaite and applied to C. C. Collier or to Collier Company, Inc., of which company C. .C. Collier was president, to finance the balance of the purchase price of the automobile and - for credit life insurance. (It appears that at the time a health and accident insurance policy on Charles Edward Wylie was applied for together with comprehensive coverage on . the automobile.) This application resulted in the balance of the purchase price being financed by Pacific and a certificate of credit life insurance being issued by it.

Pacific had a contract with Republic which was a group creditor’s or master policy which authorized Pacific to insure the lives of its creditors' only. Under this contract Pacific issued a certificate of insurance to its debtors on applications made therefor.

At the time of the above transactions Charles Edward Wylie was a minor.

The aboye transactions were had on October 6, 1952, and on December 12, 1952, Charles Edward Wylie met accidental death at which time he had made one payment on the indebtedness to Pacific.

After his death it was first learned by Jane Wylie and D. A. Long that the certificate of credit life insurance was issued on the life of D. A. Long and not on the life of Charles Edward Wylie.

The title certificate to the automobile was issued to Jane Wylie on her application. This application was made in the office of, and was filled out by, C. C. Collier.

Jane Moody, originally Jane Wylie, testified that her father D. A. Long went with her to C. C. Collier’s office and

“Q. Now, state whether or not at the time you talked to Mr. Collier you signed an application for credit life insurance? A. I did.
*406 “Q. Just state to the jury what happened on that occasion? A. Mr. Collier filled out an application for the life insurance, with this company, I suppose. He said or rather he asked me all about where Charles worked and how much he made, where he had previously worked, and if . we could pay, Seventy Five. Dollars a month on the car. Then he asked me to sign Charles -Ed’s name at the bottom. He -filled out the application in Charles Ed’s name.
“Q. State whether or not you signed Charles Ed Wylie’s name at the bottom of this application? A. I did, sir.
“Q. Do you know whether or not you signed your own name at that time? A. I signed my own name on the application for the certificate of title to the car.
«* * * * * *
“Q. I will ask you this, Mrs. Moody, state whether or not C. C. Collier at that time stated to you that this insurance would be issued upon the life of Charles Ed Wylie? A. He did tell me that Charles Ed Wylie would be insured.
« * * * * * *
“Q. And just what papers were signed you don’t recall or do you? A. I signed the title for the certificate and my father signed under me because I was too young to sign for a car myself, and my father signed under me on that. Then my father signed about this note and I signed the application for the insurance on Charles.
“Q. Now, at the time the necessary notes, mortgages and whatever was executed at that time were made, did Mr. Collier — was he told or did he understand that it was to be the obligation of you and your husband? A. He did.”
D. A.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
272 S.W.2d 403, 1954 Tex. App. LEXIS 2170, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pacific-finance-corporation-v-moody-texapp-1954.