State Automobile Mutual Ins v. Columbus Motor Express

15 Ohio Law. Abs. 747, 1933 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1358
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 28, 1933
DocketNo 2284
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 15 Ohio Law. Abs. 747 (State Automobile Mutual Ins v. Columbus Motor Express) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Automobile Mutual Ins v. Columbus Motor Express, 15 Ohio Law. Abs. 747, 1933 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1358 (Ohio Ct. App. 1933).

Opinion

[748]*748OPINION

By HORNBECK, PJ.

The question presented, as stated in the brief of counsel for plaintiff in error, is whether, in view of the decision of the Supreme Court of Ohio in the case of New Amsterdam Casualty Company v Nadler et, 115 Oh St, 472, an action of this kind can be maintained against an insurance company, * * *. It thus appears that defendant company is relying solely upon the above cited case. Defendants in error contend that the law determined in the cited case is not broad enough in scope to have application to prevent the validity of the judgment in the instant case.

The facts presented require a determination of two propositions: First: Has a liability attached in favor of the insured imder the terms of the insurance policy, by reason of the judgment in Licking County? Second: If so, may the avails of the policy, which are due the insured, be subjected to a direct action of the plaintiff Express Company which suffered property damage at the hands of the insured.

The stipulations in the bill of exceptions are short. In part they are as follows:

“It is stipulated between counsel for plaintiff and counsel for defendant that at the time of the accident set forth and the time when the Columbus Motor Express Company, plaintiff, suffered the property damage as set out in its petition, the policy of insurance held by Arthur W. Boda with the defendant, the State Automobile Insurance Company, was in full force and effect and the required premiums, on said policy paid at that time.”

That:

“The judgment not only covered damages to the truck claimed to have been owned by the plaintiffs, but also loss of use, all of which would be covered, if at all, under this insurance contract by the property damage provision.”

The authorities make distinction between what is known as an indemnity contract and a liability contract. 36 C.J. 1057. Tho contract under consideration, in our judgment, is clearly a liability contract and Ure liability of the company attaches when there is a final judgment against the insured, i.e., a liability imposed by law upon the assured for damages. If the policy under consideration was what is known as an indemnity contract, the liability of the company would attach only after loss or damages to the insured for which he was liable and had been compelled to pay.

We have no difficulty in answering the first question in the affirmative. The policy of insurance which the insured carried with the defendant company provided in part:

“In consideration of the payment of the premiums hereinafter specified and the declarations set forth in the schedule of warranties hereinafter contained, and subject to the terms, limitations and conditions set forth herein, DOES HEREBY INSURE the Assured/ named (2) Against loss from liability imposed by law upon the assured for damages on account of damage to or destruction of property of others arid loss of use thereof, occurring while this policy is in force, and directly caused by the use or operation for the purposes named in War[749]*749ranty No. 8 hereof any automobile described herein.”

A rider on said policy provided that it should cover only such accidents as occurred “while any automobile pleasure car is being operated by Dr. A. W. Boda, who is the assured.” The policy further provided:

“G. No action shall lie against the Association to recover upon any claim, or for any loss on account of liability, property damage or cargo, unless brought after the amount of such claim or loss shall have been fixed and rendered certain, either by final judgment against the Assured after trial, or by agreement between the parties with the written consent of the Association, nor in any event unless brought within two years thereafter.”

The record discloses that the event against which the insured was protected from liability has occurred; that the assured, while operating a pleasure car, by his negligence directly 'caused properly damage of the property of another, not within the exception of Warranty No. 8 of the policy; that there has been liability for loss imposed by law upon the assured for such damages; that such liability has been imposed within the meaning of Condition (G) heretofore quoted that liability has been established against the assured by final judgment after trial.

Annotation to Fullerton v United States Casualty Co., 6 A.L.R., 380.

Annotation to Hass Tobacco Co. v American Fidelity Co., 13 A.L.R., 136.

Annotation to Witherstine v Employers’ Liability Assurance Corporation, 28 A.L.R., 1301.

Annotation to Dickerson v Maryland Casualty Co., 41 A.L.R., 509.

On the second proposition, we believe that the Nadler case, supra, is controlling of the law in the instant case. In this case Nadler was insured with the New Amsterdam Casualty Co. against loss or damage caused in the operation of his automobile. During the life of the policy, an automobile which Nadler was driving and in which Yetta Nadler, wife of Abraham Nadler, was' riding, came into collision with an automobile of Sam Schoenstein by reason of which collision the plaintiff’s wife sustained severe personal injuries. Thereafter plaintiff instituted an action against Charles E. Nadler for damages for loss of consortium of his wife and secured a verdict against the defendant, upon which judgment was rendered, no part of which had been paid. The petition further averred that by reason of the laws of the State and particularly 89510-4, GC, there is due the plaintiff from the defendant New Amsterdam Casualty Company, the sum of $2500.00, the amount of the judgment with interest for which he prays judgment. The Casualty Co. demurred to the petition, which demurrer was sustained in the trial court, judgment entered against the company, which judgment was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. Error was prosecuted to the Supreme Court which reversed the judgment of the Appellate Court. The sections under consideration were:

“Sec 9510-3, GC. — In respect to every contract of insurance made between an insurance company and any person, firm or corporation by which such person, firm or corporation is insured against loss or damage on account of the bodily injury or death by accident of any person for which loss or damage such person, firm or corporation is responsible, whenever a loss or damage occurs on account of a casualty covered by such contract of insurance, the liability of the insurance company shall become absolute, and the payment of said loss shall not depend upon the satisfaction by the assured of a final judgment against him for loss, or damage or death occasioned by such casualty.”
“No such contract of insurance shall be cancelled or annulled by any agreement between the insurance company and the assured, after the said assured has become responsible for such loss or damage cr death, and any such cancellation or annullment shall be void.”
“Sec 9510-4, GC.

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757 N.E.2d 50 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2001)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
15 Ohio Law. Abs. 747, 1933 Ohio Misc. LEXIS 1358, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-automobile-mutual-ins-v-columbus-motor-express-ohioctapp-1933.