Peacock v. Our Home Life Insurance

75 So. 799, 73 Fla. 1207
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJune 9, 1917
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 75 So. 799 (Peacock v. Our Home Life Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peacock v. Our Home Life Insurance, 75 So. 799, 73 Fla. 1207 (Fla. 1917).

Opinion

Shackleford, J.

This case comes here for the second time. For the opinion rendered on the former writ of error see Our Home Life Insurance Company v. Peacock, 71 Fla. 35, 70 South. Rep. 775. As stated therein, James Ann Peacock brought an action against Our Plome Life Insurance Company upon an insurance policy issued on the life of her husband, William Lewis Peacock, deceased, and recovered judgment, which was reversed by this court on the ground that the trial court erred in sus[1209]*1209taming a demurrer to the fourth amended plea. Upon the former writ of error, the. case was presented on the pleadings, as, upon the sustaining of such demurrer, the defendant refused to plead over, in consequence whereof judgment was rendered against the defendant. Upon the going down of the mandate from this court, the original ■ declaration stood unchanged, as did the fourth amended plea. There is no'occasion to copy the declaration, but for the purpose of rendering this opinion the more readily intelligible we again set forth the fourth amended plea, which is as follows: “That the policy of insurance sued upon was issued by this defendant to the said William Lewis Peacock, on the 9th day of January, A. D. 1913, in consideration of an annual premium of one hundred seventy-five and 05/100 Dollars, to be paid this 'defendant on the 15th day of October, A. D. 1913. That the said William Lewis Peacock executed and delivered to this defendant his promissory note due October the 15th, 1913, for the said policy. That when the said note became due, and afterwards on Nov. 5, 1913, this defendant duly requested payment of same from the said William Lewis Peacock, and thereupon the said William Lewis Peacock refused to pay the said-note, and unconditionally stated and declared he did not intend to pay said note, or in anywise comply with said contract and averred that he would not take the said policy of insurance or pay the said note or be bound by the same.

“And it was then and there agreed between this defendant and the said William Lewis Peacock that the said contract of insurance together with the said note given therefor then and there stand discharged. Wherefore defendant says the said William Lewis Peacock, in his lifetime renounced 'the said, contract and this defendant became thereby discharged.”

[1210]*1210The. defendant also filed a further plea, which is as follows:

“Now comes the defendant and for further plea to the plaintiff’s declaration says, The policy of insurance sued on contains a stipulation that it should not take effect unless the. annual or authorized premium thereon is paid to the company, or an authorized agent of the company in the lifetime and good health‘of the insured.

“That the said W. L. Peacock' agreed to pay the said annual premium, but wholly failed the same to do, and afterwards, about the 13th day of December, 1913, died. That in truth and in fact, the said William Lewis Peacock did not in his lifetime and good health pay the annual premium provided for in said policy of insurance, to-wit: the sum of $175.05, but on the contrary after obtaining possession of said policy, refused to pay said annual premium and declared his intention not to pay same.

“Wherefore, defendant says that under the said stipulation the said policy sued on did not take effect.”

The plaintiff joined issue, upon each of the foregoing pleas, and also filed the following replication to such fourth plea :

“Now comes the plaintiff, by James IT. Finch and John H. Carter, her attorneys, and 'for replication to the fourth plea of the defendant, says:

“1 : The plaintiff admits that the said policy of insurance sued on was issued on January 9th, 1913, and was about January 9th, 1913, delivered by defendant to the said William Lewis Peacock, insured; the plaintiff further admits that at the time of the issuance and delivery of said policy by the defendant, the said William Lewis Peacock, the insured, executed and delivered to the defendant his certain promissory note, payable to the defendant, or order, for the sum of $175.05, due on or about October [1211]*121115th, 1913, but the plaintiff alleges that the said promissory note was accepted by the defendant as payment of the first year’s premium on said'policy of insurance, and that said note was executed and delivered and so accepted by the defendant, on or about the 9th day/ of January, 1913, during the lifetime and good health of the insured; and the alleged agreement of cancellation or discharge of said policy was not made with the knowledge or consent of the beneficiary therein.

“2: Plaintiff admits that the said policy of insurance sued on was issued on January 9th, 1913, and was on or about January 9th, 1913, delivered by the defendant to William Lewis Peacock, the insured; the plaintiff further admits that on or about the 9th day of January, 1913, the said William Lewis Peacock executed and delivered to the defendant his certain promissory note., payable to the order of the defendant, for the sum of $175.05, or thereabouts, due on October 15th, 1913, or thereabouts, but the plaintiff avers that the said promissory note was by the said William Lewis Peacock ^"delivered to the defendant and by the defendant accepted from said William Lewis Peacock as payment of the first year’s premium on-said policy of insurance, and that the defendant, then and there, on January 9th, 1913, executed and delivered to the said William Lewis Peacock its receipt for the said sum of $175.05 in payment of the first year’s premium on said policy. That note was accepted by the defendant and the said receipt issued by it to said insured in the. lifetime and good health of the insured, William Lewis Peacock; and that the alleged agreement of cancellation or discharge of said policy was not made with the knowledge or consent of the beneficiary.

“3 : Plaintiff admits that the said policy of insurance sued on was issued on January 9th, 1913, and was by de[1212]*1212fendant on January 9th, 1913, delivered to the insured, William Lewis Peacock; the plaintiff further admits that at the time of the issuance of said policy and of its delivery to the insured by defendant, the said William Lewis Peacock, the insured, executed and delivered to the defendant his certain promissory note, payable to the order of the defendant, for the sum of $175.05, or thereabouts, and that said note matured on or about the 15th day of October, 1913; but the plaintiff avers that the said note was by the insured delivered to defendant and by the defendant accepted from the insured; under an understanding and agreement that the said note should be and constitute payment of the first year’s premium on said policy of insurance, and that the defendant then and there executed and delivered to the insured its receipt of the sum of $175.05 for the first year’s premium on said policy. That said note was delivered by insured and accepted by the defendant during the lifetime and good health of the said William Lewis Peacock; and that the alleged agreement of cancellation or discharge of said policy was not made with the knowledge or consent of the beneficiary therein.”

After having unsuccessfully interposed a motion to strike such replication and also a demurrer thereto, the defendant filed the following rejoinder:

“Now comes the defendant by its attorneys, and for rejoinder to the replications of the plaintiff to the fourth plea of the defendant, says:

“As to the replication marked No. 1:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
75 So. 799, 73 Fla. 1207, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peacock-v-our-home-life-insurance-fla-1917.