German Insurance v. Allen
German Insurance v. Allen
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
This was an action brought by Mrs. J. H. Allen against the German Insurance Company, of Freeport, 111., upon a contract insuring a store-building and a stock of merchandise therein
The stipulation to keep a set of books showing the purchase and sale of goods for cash, credit, and exchange, together with an inventory' of the stock of merchandise, and the production of the same in case
After the contract of insurance had been made the attention of the agent of the company who issued the policy was drawn to the method of bookkeeping; ■ that is, that she kept a day-book, a register, and a ledger—and he said that they were kept right; in effect, he declared that her method of keeping books would be sufficient as well as satisfactory to the company. This condition was intended for the benefit and protection of the insurer, and, like other provisions of the insurance contract, it might be waived by the company. As the agent issued polices and had full power to represent and bind the company, his statement waived defects, if there were any, in the system of bookkeeping. This is not to be regarded, nor was it treated by the court, as a preliminary oral or contemporaneous agreement. If it had been of such character it would have been merged in, and could not be set up to contradict and overthrow, the final written contract. The jury were instructed that the statement of the waiver, to be effective, must have been made after the policy had been issued and delivered to the insured. There was testimony tending to show that it was made after the contract of iusurance had been completed and the policy delivered.
In addition to this waiver, the adjuster, although directly informed that no cash-book had been kept, did not declare a forfeiture, but negotiated with the
An attorney’s fee was allowed, and an attack has been made on the statute under which the allowance was made. Several decisions have been made upholding the validity of the law and the question is no longer open' for debate. (Assurance Co. v. Bradford, supra; Insurance Co. v. Corbett, ante, page 564, 77 Pac. 108.)
The judgment of the district court will be affirmed
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The German Insurance Company v. Mrs. J. H. Allen
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- 12 cases
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- Syllabus
- SYLLABUS BY THE COURT. 1. Insurance Policy—•“Iron-safe Clause” Waived by Agent. A provision in a fire-insurance policy that a merchant will keep books showing the purchase and sale of goods for cash, credit, aDd exchange, and produce the same' with the last inventory, in case of a loss, may be waived; and when an agent who issued a policy was informed, after the contract was made, of the system of bookkeeping used by the insured, which did not include a cash-book, and then stated that the system was all right and would be satisfactory, the insurance company cannot, after a loss, defend on the ground that a cash-book was not kept; the requirement will be deemed to have been waived. 2. - Right of Forfeiture Waived by Adjuster. Where the adjuster of a fire-insurance company, after a loss, learns of the non-compliance by the insured with a provision of the policy with regard to keeping books, and, instead of declaring a forfeiture therefor, negotiates with the insured for the making of other and better proofs, extends the time to make proofs, and requires the insured, at some trouble and expense, to submit to an examination under oath concerning the fire and the property destroyed, the company will be deemed to have waived the right of forfeiture.