Vermes Credit Jewelry, Inc. v. Fireman's Fund Ins.

92 F. Supp. 905, 1950 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2640
CourtDistrict Court, D. Minnesota
DecidedMarch 7, 1950
DocketCiv. No. 3070
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 92 F. Supp. 905 (Vermes Credit Jewelry, Inc. v. Fireman's Fund Ins.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Minnesota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vermes Credit Jewelry, Inc. v. Fireman's Fund Ins., 92 F. Supp. 905, 1950 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2640 (mnd 1950).

Opinion

DONOVAN, District Judge.

On March 16, 1949, plaintiff’s jewelry store was damaged by fire, with resultant loss of jewelry valued by plaintiff at more than $20,000. Plaintiff was insured against such loss to the extent of $20,000 under a so-called-Jeweler’s Block Policy. The policy covered all the valuables against loss or damage of all types from any means. Plaintiff made claim for its loss under the policy, but defendant denied the claim upon the theory that less than 60% of the valuables were in a safe or vault at. the time of the fire. The proposal for insurance which plaintiff made to defendant, and which became a part of the insurance policy, included one section covering “Warranties As To Property Insured During Term Of Insurance At All Times When Premises Are Closed”, wherein plaintiff stated that property equal to 60% of the total value of the property in the store would be kept-in the vault or safe when the premises were closed. Defendant concedes that the remaining 40% need not have been so placed. Plaintiff admits that the store was closed [907]*907when the -fire occurred, and that less than 60% of the valuables were .in the safe or vault. At the trial the court directed a verdict for plaintiff upon the theory that the warranties required by defendant in the proposal, and which were included in the insurance policy, exceeded the statutory provisions of the Minnesota fire policy, and, therefore, that the breach thereof did not prevent plaintiff from recovering under the policy for his loss. Defendant now-moves the court to set aside the jury’s verdict, and to order entry of judgment for defendant in accordance with defendant’s motion for a directed verdict at the time of trial.

Plaintiff contends that the warranty upon which defendant relies was void because it was not included in the statutory fire insurance' policy found in Section 65.01 of 7 Minnesota Statutes Annotated. That statute enunciates the provisions to which a Minnesota fire insurance policy must conform. The warranty in question is not included in the statutory conditions, and plaintiff argues, therefore, that the claimed breach of the warranty is no defense.

Defendant contends (1) that plaintiff has failed to prove that defendant is a “fire company” within the statute, and therefore there is no proof of violation thereof, or of necessity of conformity therewith; and (2) that the policy in question is not subject to and limited by the statutory policy requirements of Section 65.01 because the instant policy is an inland marine insurance policy, not a fire insurance policy.

Section 65.01 of 7 Minnesota Statutes Annotated provides: “No fire company shall issue on property in this state any policy other than the standard form herein set forth, the blanks for which may be filled in print or in writing, and no condition, stipulation or term, other than those therein provided for, whether as to jurisdiction, limitation, magistrate, certificate or otherwise, shall be valid if inserted in any such policy, except as follows [then follows the permitted conditions and exceptions and the standard form policy].”

Defendant’s first contention must be overruled. This statute by its very terms is aimed at the provisions which a fire insurance policy, must contain. Its obvious purpose is to regulate the content of the policy and not to define - the type of insurance company permitted to write' the standard policy in compliance therewith. The emphasis of the statute is upon the type and contents of the policy. In Heim v. American Alliance Ins. Co., 147 Minn. 283, at pages 287, 288, 180 N.W. 225, at page 226, 1022, the Minnesota Supreme Court held': “The statute is founded on public policy. It was enacted to do away with the evils arising from the insertion in policies of insurance of conditions ingeniously worded, which restricted the liability of the insurer and gave the insured less protection than he might naturally suppose he was getting under his contract.”

Certainly the legislature, in view of its manifest purpose and intent, did not mean to limit the- application of Section 65.01 to certain types of insurance companies only. Such a-situation would defeat the purpose of the statute. “The statute is a remedial one, and therefore it is to be construed liberally for the suppression of the mischief it was designed to do away with; it was enacted to promote beneficial public objects and therefore a broad construction is to be given to it. * * * Regard should be had for its object and purpose because of the light they cast upon the meaning of the language employed.” Heim v. American Alliance Ins. Co., supra, page 288 Minn, page 227 N.W.

In view of the provisions of the statute relative to its purpose, the circumstances under which it was enacted and the public policy which it enunciates, as well as the liberal construction which the Minnesota Supreme Court holds must be applied, the term “fire company”, contrary to defendant’s contention, must be held to mean any company writing a fire insurance policy.

Defendant’s claim that the statute is unambiguous and therefore applicable only to fire companies overlooks that the statute does not define “fire company”, and that the court therefore must determine the scope of that phrase by application of the appropriate rules of statutory construction and interpretation. • In light of that con[908]*908struction and interpretation here, defendant company is subject to the statute. It wrote the insurance policy in question. It should also be noted that defendant’s motion at the trial was not based on the factual matter now raised by its first contention here.

At the outset, several factors must be recognized in considering defendant’s second contention. Section 65.01 never has been expressly repealed by any existing statute having to do with Jewelers’ Block Policies. Implied repeals arise only when statutes are inconsistent, and such repeals are not favored. The inconsistency must clearly appear. Moreover, Section 65.01 is not limited in its coverage to realty. Its coverage extends also to personalty. In fact, the statutory policy which the Minnesota legislature has set forth as the standard fire policy for Minnesota specifically declares that “jewels, metals, patterns, models, scientific cabinets and collections, paintings, sculpture and curiosities” can be insured against fire if expressly mentioned in the policy.

Section 65.01 was intended to apply to fire hazards covered by policies which included protection against other hazards also. It is general in its terms with respect to fire hazards. Section 65.02 provides that automobile fire insurance is not subject to Section 65.01, if other hazards are included in the same policy. Obviously, such an exemption would be necessary only if Section 65.01 applied in the absence of the exemption. Thus, a legislative construction of Section 65.01 exists, and clearly contemplates that, unless a specific exemption exists, Section 65.01 applies to policies which combine fire hazard insurance with insurance against other hazards. No such specific exemption exists with respect to policies like the instant one or any other which insures jewelers. That Section 65.01 applies to combination policies also is sustained by the statute’s purpose and objectives, as pointed out by the Minnesota Supreme Court in Heim v. American Alliance Ins. Co., supra. Abuses at which the statute is aimed are thereby avoided.

Inland marine insurance is of •comparatively recent origin. It appears to have arisen when marine insurance was extended so it could apply to transportation on land.

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Bluebook (online)
92 F. Supp. 905, 1950 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2640, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vermes-credit-jewelry-inc-v-firemans-fund-ins-mnd-1950.