Redfield v. Paterson Fire Insurance

6 Abb. N. Cas. 456
CourtNew York City Court
DecidedJune 15, 1877
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Abb. N. Cas. 456 (Redfield v. Paterson Fire Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York City Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Redfield v. Paterson Fire Insurance, 6 Abb. N. Cas. 456 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1877).

Opinion

Reynolds, J.

I cannot forbear noticing, at the outset, the model way in which this case is presented to the court for review. The case, as settled by the parties, sets out the material facts in a concise and lucid manner, stripped of the redundant matter which, to a greater or less extent, unavoidably creeps in upon the trial, so that the real questions, difficult as they may be' in themselves, are plainly set forth. It is greatly to be desired that such a practice should be more extensively followed by the profession.

[The learned judge here stated the facts.]

By the express language of the contract, it was the duty of the insured to pay the premium within thirty days from date of the policy, and the stipulated consequence of neglecting to perform such duty was the discharge of the insurer from liability.

[462]*462Similar contracts have repeatedly been held to be valid, not being contrary to the policy of the law ; and they are to receive construction and enforcement upon the same principles that govern analogous engagements outside of insurance policies. It is generally the business of the debtor to seek the creditor and make payment: unless there was something exceptional in this case, or unless the payment, according to the terms of the contract, was waived, the neglect of the insured, as above stated, is fatal to the claim.

In Beadle v. Chenango Co. Mutual Ins. Co. (3 Hill, 161), the defendant pleaded that one of the conditions of the policy was, that should an assessment be made upon the plaintiff’s premium note, and he neglect or refuse to pay such assessment within thirty days after notice thereof, the policy was thenceforth to be null and void; that an assessment had been made, and that the plaintiff, though duly notified of such assessment, refused to pay the same for more than thirty days after such notice, and still refused. On demurrer this was held to be a good defense. It will be observed that the giving of notice in that case was necessary, to put the plaintiff in. the same position as that in which the insured, in this case, put themselves by their contract. Beadle had thirty days in which to pay after notice of his obligation, and his neglect or refusal to do so forfeited his claim.

Wall v. Home Ins. Co. (36 N. Y. 157), is a still stronger case. This clause was in the policy, “ In case the note or obligation given for the premium herefor be not paid at maturity, the full amount of premium shall be considered as earned, and this policy become void, while such note or obligation remains overdue and unpaid.”

The note became due and was protested, and while thus unpaid the vessel insured was lost. Although the company had agreed that the note might lie over a [463]*463few days, it was held that the right of recovery by the insured was at an end.

The court say “ there was a clear breach of a valid condition, and by the terms of the contract, the obliga-, tion of the insurer was at an end, before and at the time of the occurrence of the loss.

In Merserau v. Phœnix Life Ins. Co. (66 N. Y. 274), the policy provided that the insurer’s liability should cease upon the failure of the insured to pay the premium when due. A premium was overdue and unpaid at the death of the insured. Judge Allen says, “the policy was therefore of no force at the time of the death of the insured, and the insurers are not now liable upon it unless the condition was waived by the company or by an authorized agent.”

There are numerous other cases tending to the same result; the following seem to be directly in point (Gorton v. Dodge Co. Mutual Ins. Co., 5 Ins. L. J. 350; Joliffe v. Madison Mutual Ins. Co., Id. 278—Supreme Court of Wisconsin ; Shultz v. Hawkeye Ins. Co., Ins. L. J. 354—Supreme Court Iowa. See also Boehmer v. Knickerbocker Life Ins. Co., 63 N. Y. 160; Baker v. Union Mutual Ins. Co. 43 Id. 283).

The plaintiff claims that his rights under this policy could not be forfeited without a demand made upon him. This is not in accordance with the contract, nor with the authorities. The rule which requires a demand in certain cases to work a forfeiture of an estate in land, does not apply to contracts of this nature (see cases cited above).

Nor can I agree with plaintiff’s counsel that it was necessary for defendant to give notice of its intention to rescind the contract. The cases already cited are to the contrary ; and those placed upon plaintiff’s brief to establish the proposition do not seem to me to avail for that purpose.

Perkins v. Washington Ins. Co. (4 Cow. 645), turned [464]*464very much upon the powers of the defendant’s agent, and his acts, as binding the company. The policy was to take effect when* the premium should be paid, and should be received in New York, provided the officer should be satisfied with the risk. The premium was paid to the agent in Savannah, who neglected to forward it, in consequence of which it was not received in New York till after the fire. I am unable to see, from the facts in the case, or the reasoning of the court, how the decision affords any support to the plaintiff’s claim.

In the case of Ins. Co. v. Webster (6 Wall. 129). the policy was delivered, and premium note received by the duly authorized agent of the company. After such delivery, the insured signed a memorandum that the policy was to take effect when approved by D., who was general agent of the company. This approval was to be applied for by the agent effecting the insurance. It was not secured, but the premium note had not been returned, nor the policy canceled before the fire. The Chief Justice says: “The memorandum, considered in connection with other parts of the transaction, must be treated as at most the reservation of a right, not, however, to be arbitrarily exercised, by the general agent, to disapprove the insurance and annul the contract, on notice to the insured, and on return of the premium note.” It will be noticed that the approval was to be by defendant’s agent, and whether he approved, or refused to do so, could not be known to the insured without notice. In the case at bar, the insured knew the consequence of his neglect to pay, because he had fixed it by his own contract; and he needed no notice to make him aware of his own default. On this point we need only recur again to several of the authorities already referred to.

Plaintiff makes the further point that the defendant, being a foreign corporation, and having no office [465]*465in this State, the insured were not bound to seek the company, or to make any tender to it.

The authorities relied upon to show that a debtor is not bound to seek his creditor out of the State, appear, upon examination, to be cases where the creditor was absent from home. They are cases of contracts, made with residents of the State, and it is held that if the payee absents himself from the State, it is not the duty of the payer to follow him outside of its limits ; if he has no notice of a duly appointed agent to receive payment, a readiness to pay within the State, or, in case a tender is required, tender at the residence.of the other party will suffice. This principle does not apply to the case before us.

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Related

Insurance Company v. Webster
73 U.S. 129 (Supreme Court, 1868)
Merserau v. . Ph&338nix Mutual Life Ins. Co.
66 N.Y. 274 (New York Court of Appeals, 1876)
Van Allen v. . Farmers' Joint Stock Ins. Co.
64 N.Y. 469 (New York Court of Appeals, 1876)
Roehner v. . Knickerbocker Life Ins. Co.
63 N.Y. 160 (New York Court of Appeals, 1875)
Wall v. . the Home Insurance Co.
36 N.Y. 157 (New York Court of Appeals, 1867)
Perkins v. Washington Insurance
4 Cow. 645 (Court for the Trial of Impeachments and Correction of Errors, 1825)

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Bluebook (online)
6 Abb. N. Cas. 456, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/redfield-v-paterson-fire-insurance-nycityct-1877.