Wood v. National Farmers Union Automobile & Casualty Co.

114 F. Supp. 514, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4017
CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedJuly 28, 1953
DocketCiv. 2520
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 114 F. Supp. 514 (Wood v. National Farmers Union Automobile & Casualty Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wood v. National Farmers Union Automobile & Casualty Co., 114 F. Supp. 514, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4017 (D. Colo. 1953).

Opinion

RITTER, District Judge.

At one time the National Farmers Union acted as an agent for the American Motorists Insurance Company of Chicago and sold insurance in that company, and for a number of years E. E. Cronquist of Longmont, Colorado, was an agent of the National Farmers Union and sold insurance around Fleming, Colorado, for the National Farmers Union in the American Motorists Insurance Company of Chicago.

Some time prior to July 1947 the National Farmers Union organized its own automobile casualty insurance company, and that company is the defendant in this action — the National Farmers Union Automobile and Casualty Company.

Now, prior to the events leading up to this lawsuit the plaintiff, Orton Wood, had bought automobile casualty insurance from the same agent and from the same company for many years. The agent was E. E. Cronquist, who sold insurance to Orton Wood for the National Farmers Union in the American Motorists Insurance Company of Chicago. On the first of July 1947 the plaintiff, Orton Wood, held such a policy in the American Motorists Insurance Company, which E. E. Cronquist had sold him.

After the National Farmers Union organized its own company, namely, the defendant in this action, the defendant sent out solicitations or invitations to policyholders in American Motorists Insurance Company to insure in the defendant company. Those letters of solicitation were [517]*517sent by the defendant, with notices of premiums due, upon renewal of American Motorists policies, to persons to whom National Farmers Union had theretofore sold American Motorists policies. The plaintiff in this case, Orton Wood, was such a person. His policy with American Motorists was to expire on July 21, 1947.

About July first 1947 the defendant sent to the plaintiff Wood a notice of premium due July 21 on his American Motorists policy. At the same time defendant sent plaintiff Wood a letter soliciting his membership and insurance in defendant company. That letter, Exhibit 11, is on a letterhead, at the top of which the words, “National Farmers Union,” prominently appear; and in this opinion that letter is to be reproduced in full.

Plaintiff’s Exhibit 11

“National Farmers Union

“Automobile and Casualty Company

“A Farmers Union Service

“National Office

“3501 East 46th Avenue — Denver 16, Colorado

“Dear Policyholder:

“Premium renewal notice for your present auto insurance is enclosed. Increased rates are now in effect throughout the United States and, so far as we know, by all companies— due to increase in number, violence and cost of accidents. Your present policy, unless renewed, will expire on the date indicated in the notice.

“Now that we have our own company you will almost certainly want 3t to carry your insurance beginning with this renewal date. To make this easy for you, we are enclosing a premium statement for similar coverages in National Farmers Union Auto and Casualty Company. It provides for 10, 20, and 5 on Public Liability instead of the usual 5, 10, and 5.

“A leaflet explaining the $10.00 for the capital account of your new company is enclosed. The net earnings are returnable to you on a patronage basis. The company has paid-in capital of $250,000 and paid-in surplus of $100,-000, thus giving it great strength and stability. Your new policy will become effective on the date of expiration of your present policy, provided you mail the green premium statement and your remittance on or before that date.

“The Premium Rates Quoted in Your Own Farmers Union Company are on a ‘Preferred Risk’ Basis. Our Records Show That You are a Preferred Risk, and We Believe You Will Continue to Merit Preferred Rating. You will note that the premiums stated are semiannual, but if you want to pay for a full year you may remit double the premiums specified, plus $10.00 for capital account. This $10.00 is not an expense to you. It is an investment in your own cooperative company — one of the safest and soundest investments you could make. If at a later time you do not currently or prospectively have any vehicles to insure, this investment will be returned to you upon your request approved by the Board of Directors of the Company.

“We are sure you will want to remit promptly for the new policy in National Farmers Union Auto and Casualty Company, so that from now on you will be covered in your own cooperative company, but if for some reason you prefer not to do so you may, of course, remit the premium for your present policy.

“Cooperatively yours,

“C. E. Huff, General Manager

“CEH :jh

“Enel.

“D-No. 3”

The defendant company enclosed with that letter to Wood an “invoice,” which is referred to in that letter as follows:

“Now that we have our own company you will almost certainly want it to carry your insurance beginning with this renewal date. To make this easy for you, we are enclosing a premium [518]*518statement for similar coverages in National Farmers Union Auto and Casualty Company. It provides for 10, 20, and 5 on Public Liability instead of the usual 5, 10, and 5.”

This “invoice” is Exhibit 14. It also will be reproduced in full in this opinion to show both the format and the type of references, which are both important in this case.

Plaintiff’s Exhibit 14

“Invoice

“National Farmers Union Auto & Casualty Co.

“3501 East 46th Avenue

“Denver 16, Colo. 3D3-A-1

“In Account With Orton Wood “Farmers Union Cooperative

“Fleming, Colorado Insurances

“Vehicle Insurance

“In longhand: R.M.F.U. “Division

“E. E. Cronquist

“NT-1 57

“P-11108

“B-9513”

“13361618 (See letter) From 7-21-47 to 1-21-48

“Policy number Company Vehicle Policy period

“Coverages Limits of Liability Premiums

“A. Fire, Lightning and Transportation Actual Cash Value

“B. Windstorm, Earthquake, Explosion, Flail or Water Actual Cash Value

“C. Theft (Broad Form) Actual Cash Value

“D. Comprehensive (Includes Fire, Theft, Windstorm and other damages to the automobile, other than collision or upset Actual Cash Value

“E-l. Collision or Upset Actual Cash Value Less $ Deductible

“E-2. Collision or Upset 80% of the first $250 of actual cash value and 100% of the actual cash value in excess of $250

“F. Property Damage Liability $5000 each accident 3.00

“G. Bodily Injury Liability $10,000 each person; $20,000 each accident 4.50

“H. Medical Payments (Named Insured-) $-Each person

“I. Emergency Road Service $10.00 Each Disablement

“Endorsements

“Total Premiums 7.50

“Capital Account Participation (Participation required only once.) $10.00

“Total of Premiums and Capital Account Participation 17.50

“Terms: Payable on Presentation of Invoice Net Amount Due $-”

[519]*519As we shall see a little later, Mr. C. L. Lippitt, President of the First National Bank of Fleming, Colorado, Exhibit 13, mistook this “invoice” for what he called “Auto Policy No.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Viking Theatre Corp. v. Paramount Film Distributing Corp.
245 F. Supp. 404 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1965)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
114 F. Supp. 514, 1953 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4017, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wood-v-national-farmers-union-automobile-casualty-co-cod-1953.