Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance v. Schaeffer
Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance v. Schaeffer
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the Court.
This is the second appeal in this case. The opinion delivered when the first appeal was decided will be found in 80 Maryland, 563. The appellant brought an action to recover the loss which he had sustained by the destruction by fire of a bark mill and shed which belonged to him. It was not controverted that the appellee’s property had been insured by the appellant (the defendant below), and it was admitted that he had sustained a loss by fire to the amount of fifteen hundred dollars. The liability of the insurance company depended, on the effect upon the rights of the parties which resulted from the presence of a portable steam engine on the premises of the insured. The evidence showed that on the day of the fire this engine occupied a position between fifty and sixty feet from the bark mill of the plaintiff which was burned, and that it was used for the purpose of grinding bark; and that the plaintiff for about eighteen months before the fire had been in the habit of hiring such engines, and having them brought to his bark mill and using them for this purpose at intervals of a month or six weeks. The only conditions of insurance referring to steam engines are the sixteenth and the seventeenth. It was de
Now, according to this testimony, the plaintiff gave the insurance company a full opportunity to exercise its rights. He informed its general agent that he was in the habit of using an engine, and that he was willing to do anything to be made safe, and to pay anything, and that he did not want any trouble if he met with a loss. There was a proffer to pay what was necessary to protect his rights under the policy; it was nb fault of his that his proffer was not accepted. He might reasonably infer from the remarks of the general agent that “ he did not know,” and that “ he (the plaintiff), was a manufacturer;” that the insurance company did not intend to exact an additional premium. At all events they did not exact one, when they had a full opportunity to do so. To be sure, the engine was not on the plaintiff’s premises at the time of the notice. But the general agent was informed that it was frequently and habitually used there. This conversation took place ten days before the fire. Under the circumstunces, which we have detailed, we think that it would be unjust to the plaintiff to make an objection to the use of the engine for the first time after the loss by fire had occurred; and then to insist upon his failure to give a note for an additional premium as a cause of forfeiture.
The plaintiff’s second prayer fairly left to the jury the essential questions in the case. They were required to find whether the plaintiff gave to the general agent of the insurance company the notice above mentioned; and whether after such notice a sufficient time elapsed before the fire to enable the president of the insurance company to ascertain
Judgment affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF DUG HILL, CARROLL COUNTY v. CHARLES SCHAEFFER
- Cited By
- 1 case
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Fire Insurance — Mutual Company — Increase of Risk by Use of Steam Engine — Notice to Instirer. A policy of fire insurance in a mutual company covered certain farm buildings. On the day of the loss a portable engine was stationed about fifty feet from a bark mill and used for grinding bark. A clause of the policy provided that in the event of an engine being stationed on the premises, then the president of the company should appoint a committee of members to examine the same and ascertain if the risk was thereby increased, and if increased an additional premium note was to be given by the assured. More than two weeks before the fire, when the engine was not on his premises, the plaintiff notified the general agent of the company that he used an engine for the above mentioned purpose about once a month, and said that he was willing to do or pay anything necessary for the protection of his property. The agent made no definite reply and no additional premium note was demanded. Held, that if there was sufficient time after the notice and before the fire for the president of the company to ascertain through a committee whether the risk was increased by the use of the engine, and for the plaintiff to give an additional premium note if the risk was increased, then the policy was not avoided by the use of the engine, even if the risk was thereby increased.