Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance v. Newton
Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance v. Newton
Opinion of the Court
1. That the petition here is good as against the demurrers urged was settled by Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Harrison, 104 Ga. App. 899 (123 SE2d 438), and Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Perkins, 104 Ga. App. 902 (123 SE2d 440).
2. The evidence was substantially the same in nature as that in Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Oliver, 106 Ga. App. 305, (126 SE2d 887), and authorized a recovery of the premiums with interest thereon. The overruling of the general grounds of the motions for new trial and for judgment n.o.v. was proper.
3. After the selection of a jury for the trial of the case counsel for the defendant stated in open court that the president of the Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company “has authorized me to state to this jury and any other jury that anybody who honestly and sincerely feels that their situation is such that they ought to have their money back from this company
4. Since this action was brought under former Code § 56-519 (now superseded by the 1960 Georgia Insurance Code, Title 56) for the recovery of a statutory liability, and neither attorneys’ fees nor punitive damages could be recovered (Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Oliver, 106 Ga. App. 305, supra), the admission of evidence and any charge on either or both of these subjects was erroneous.
(For a statement of the allegations in the petition, demurrers, etc. see Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Morgan, 104 Ga. App. 894 (123 SE2d 433) and Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Harrison, 104 Ga. App. 899, supra, and for further statement of facts see Bankers Fidelity Life Ins. Co. v. Oliver, 106 Ga. App. 305, supra. The cases there and here are substantially the same in all respects.)
The judgment overruling the motion for new trial is affirmed upon condition that the attorneys’ fees and punitive damages included in the judgment be, written off, otherwise it stands reversed. Since this will result in a substantial modification of the judgment below, the costs on appeal are taxed against
Judgment affirmed on condition.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.