Thompson v. State Auto. Ins. Assn.

18 N.W.2d 286, 70 S.D. 412, 1945 S.D. LEXIS 39
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedApril 16, 1945
DocketFile No. 8694.
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 18 N.W.2d 286 (Thompson v. State Auto. Ins. Assn.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thompson v. State Auto. Ins. Assn., 18 N.W.2d 286, 70 S.D. 412, 1945 S.D. LEXIS 39 (S.D. 1945).

Opinion

SMITH, P. J.

In this action plaintiffs sought to recover under a contract of insurance for loss and damage to a Ford truck suffered in a collision. The controversy is over the coverage of the policy. By answer, and by motion for judgment made at the close of the case, defendant asserted that the policy did not insure plaintiffs against loss and damage by collision to the particular truck. The cause was tried to' the court and resulted in a judgment for plaintiffs from which defendant has appealed.

By application in writing dated July 5, 1941, plaintiffs appointed defendant as their attorney in fact for the purpose of exchanging insurance contracts (see SDC 31.09) and sought reciprocal insurance on its transportation equipment. This application described six pieces of equipment by make, motor number, etc. It also indicated the kind and amount of insurance requested upon each separate piece of equipment. The only request for coverage against collision contained in this application was for $100 deductible insurance against collision upon two pieces of International equipment. The application as prepared indicated the premium to be deposited for each risk to be assumed by the subscribers to the exchange. Among the premiums thus described were two separate items of $28 each, or a total of $56, for the above-mentioned insurance against collision on the two pieces of International equipment.

Through error the application described a Ford truck plaintiffs no longer owned, instead of the truck described in the complaint. As a result, the truck described in the complaint was added to the policy by an endorsement we shall presently describe.

The policy written in response to the application is made up of a principal printed form and various riders or endorse *414 ments. The body of the printed form contains certain general and specific provisions dealing with the subject of collision, reading as follows:

“The Subscribers of The State Automobile Insurance Association * * * in consideration of the exchange of insurance, the premium deposit, * * * do hereby severally agree with the Subscriber named herein to insure such Subscriber * * * under such of the following coverages for which a specific premium deposit applicable thereto is shown in the Schedule of Statements: * * *”
“To insure, * * * against direct loss or damage to the automobile * * * caused by:
“Clause 7. Accidental upset or collision with another object, either stationary or moving * * *. The collision insurance herein provided shall be subject to the following provisions applicable thereto:
“A. Deductible Collision. If a deductible sum is stated under Clause 7, subdivision A of the Schedule of Statements, The Association will pay only such amount of each separate loss as shall be in excess of said deductible sum;
“B. Convertible Collision. The additional payment of premium deposit specified under Clause 7, subdivision B of the Schedule of Statements must be paid to the Home Office of The Association upon the occurrence of the first collision or upset, which is made the basis of claim under this policy, before this Association will be obligated to pay for any loss or damage occurring under Clause 7 of this policy as a result of any reported accident.”

It will be noted that according to the terms of these general provisions the collision coverage is rendered operative if a “specific premium deposit applicable thereto is shown in the Schedule of Statements”, and the coverage of such a risk is limited to deductible collision “if a deductible sum is stated under Clause 7, subdivision A of the Schedule of Statements.” The “Schedule of Statements” to which these paragraphs make reference appears on the first page of the principal printed form. Clause 7 of that schedule reads as follows:

*415 Clause 7
Collision A. Deductible Actual amount of each loss in excess of $- Endorsement See $ 56.00
B. Convertible. (The -- additional payment of $- must be paid before claim is made under this $ Nil coverage.) Act- - ual Value. First Payment”

The words “See Endorsement” and “Nil” and the figures “56.00” are typed, and the remainder of the clause is printed.

Paragraph 6 of the Schedule of Statements was intended for use in describing the automobile insured. Space is provided therein for the description of a single vehicle. In that space is typed “See Equipment Endorsement.” The Equipment Endorsement lists the six pieces of equipment described in the application, and contains the following statement: “The insurance afforded is only with respect to such and so many of the insurance coverages provided by this policy as are specifically made applicable to the motor vehicle hereinafter described:”

A further endorsement reads: “In consideration of a reduction of the premium, it is understood and agreed that in each and every loss hereunder, under the collision coverage, the assured shall bear the first One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars thereof on the No. 3 International Van, Motor No. FAB24124340 and the First One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars thereof on the No. 4, International Van, Motor No. FAB-24122297 but shall be entitled to recover such amount of each and very loss as shall be in excess of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars on each unit.”

As the policy was originally written, the foregoing was the only endorsement annexed thereto which made any specific mention of collision coverage. Several days after the effective date of the policy it was discovered that the *416 wrong Ford truck had been described. At the same time, and for reasons that need not be stated, it was determined that plaintiffs wanted $50 deductible insurance against collision on a Chevrolet truck originally described in the application and policy. Thereupon, there was added to the policy an endorsement describing the Ford truck described in the complaint, which endorsement reads in part as follows:

“In consideration of an additional premium deposit of $33.00, It is agreed that this policy hereby ceases to cover the following described motor vehicle:
“1938 Ford Truck, Mtr. No. 18-4202247

And is transferred to cover in lieu thereof, the following described motor vehicle:

“1938 Ford Truck, Mtr. No. 18-4272816
“It is further agreed that this policy is hereby extended to provide Fifty Dollar Deductible Insurance on the 1939 Chevrolet Truck, Mtr. No. 2372911 as follows: * * * ”

In substance, it is the theory of plaintiffs that the policy by its terms insured against loss and damage by collision to all of the equipment described therein including the Ford truck described in the complaint. Two factors are pointed out as the basis of this conclusion. It is first said that the entry of a premium deposit of $56 in Clause 7 of the Schedule of Statements, as set forth, supra, rendered operative the broad general agreement to insure against loss from collision.

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Bluebook (online)
18 N.W.2d 286, 70 S.D. 412, 1945 S.D. LEXIS 39, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thompson-v-state-auto-ins-assn-sd-1945.