Rathbone v. City Fire Insurance

31 Conn. 193
Supreme Court of Connecticut·Decided October 15, 1862·Published·Cited by 15 cases

Opinion

Butler, J.

The testimony of Fuller relative to the waiver of defects in the preliminary proofs was clearly admissible. The plaintiff was entitled to prove that waiver, and by any evidence which tended to prove it. An' admission of the company made by their general agent while acting as such, and in respect to the particular loss and controversy, that it [204] was only the quantity and value of the cider which the company disputed, was pertinent and important, whether made directly to the plaintiff, or to the agent who was employed by the plaintiff to prepare the preliminary proofs and present them on his behalf. Moreover the evidence was offered in connection with other evidence which is not stated. For aught that appears it may have been evidence to show that the general agent was expressly authorized to make the admission to the plaintiff through Mr. Fuller, for the purpose of narrowing the controversy.

2. Where a motion merely shows that a party claimed that certain evidence was not admissible in any way to affect the terms of a written instrument, without showing that the claim was made when the evidence was offered; or that the evidence was let in subject to exception, and the claim was subsequeiitly made that it should be excluded ; or that the court were requested to charge as to its effect or the consideration to be given to it, no question is raised which the court is bound to consider. And such is the import of the motion in this case. It does not appear when or in what way the claim was made, or what disposition the court made of it. Nevertheless, no injustice was done if the evidence was in fact regularly objected to and admitted, or a request to charge the jury that the evidence was not to be considered was disregarded by the court. The plaintiff sought permission orally to change the place of storage, and of course the risk. The conditions of the policy in respect to a description of the new risk in a written application or survey were waived, and there is no representation of it in or upon the policy; and it was competent for the plaintiff to show what the new risk was when taken; that it was fully though orally represented to the defendants, and known to them; and if inconsistent with any condition of the policy, that the condition was waived. None of these affected the terms of the written policy. The cases read and relied on at the bar to this point, are cases where there was a written representation of the risk, either in the policy or application, and parol evidence of a usage, or of a cotemporaneous parol agreement, or that the defendants had [205] knowledge respecting an element of risk not included in the representation, or that an element was left out by their agent though known to him, was holden inadmissible. None of these cases apply.

8. We are satisfied that the defendants were not entitled to the instructions requested. As to all the articles named in the request except the wine in casks, it was abstract, and the court was not bound to dissect and charge the jury in respect to any part of it. Cowles v. Bacon, 21 Conn., 451; Marlborough v. Sisson, 23 Conn., 44. The point, and the only real point made on the trial and which could be raised by the request, was, that the policy was void by reason of the fact that wine in casks was stored in the barn at the time of the fire, and was not, in terms, agreed to in the indorsement.

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Rathbone v. City Fire Insurance, 31 Conn. 193 (Colo. 1862).

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