Thurman v. Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance
Thurman v. Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
On February 12, 1909, J. H. Thurman executed the following note: “November 15, 1909, I promise to pay to Henry, Dean & Mott, Gen. Agents Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Co., eighty-seven and 50/100 dollars, value rec’d, with interest at 6 per cent, from date.” On the back of the note was indorsed: “Pay to Farmers’ Mut. Fire Ins. Co. of Miss., or order. Henry, Dean & Mott, General Agts.” Thurman failed to pay the note when it became due, and suit was finally instituted on same by the Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Company in a justice of the peace court, resulting in a judgment dismissing the suit and taxing all costs against the insurance company. From this judgment in the justice •of the peace court an appeal was prosecuted to the circuit court, and on the trial in the circuit court the following proceedings took place:
In order to make out its prima facie case, the insurance company introduced the note and rested. Thurman took the witness stand in his own behalf, and admitted signing the note, but stated that the consideration of the note was that the insurance company would give him a two thousand dollar insurance policy on his dwelling house. He further stated that when the policy issued by the company and received by him, instead of being a policy for two thousand dollars on the dwelling house, as it had been agreed between himself and the agent that it'should be, the policy was for only twelve hundred dollars on the house, and the remaining eight
Clearly this is not a case where a peremptory instruction should have been given. Thurman asserts that he did not read the application; that the understanding between himself and the agent was that á different policy was to be issued to him from that which he received; that he returned the policy, because it did not conform to the contract applied for and agreed by the agent to be issued. If this is true, and it was for the jury to say whether it was or not, the policy sent was fraudulent as to him, and he was not bound to keep it, although he had signed an application, without actual knowledge of its contents, and at the instance of the agent, which conformed to the terms of the policy. Thurman states that he did not read the application, and the fair inference
Reversed and remanded.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- J. H. Thurman v. Farmer's Mutual Fire Insurance Company
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Insurance. Action on note. Consideration.- Fraud. Question for jury. Where a fire insurance company brought suit on a note given by defendant to it for the premium upon a fire insurance policy which policy was received by defendant but returned to the company, and defendant testified on the trial that he did not read the application for such insurance, which was made out by the agent of the company upon whom he relied to fill it out correctly; that the understanding between himself and the agent was that a different policy was to be issued to him from that which he received; that he returned the policy, because it did not conform to the contract applied for and agreed by the agent to be issued. In such case a peremptory instruction for plaintiff should not have been given. 2. Same. If the facts testified to by defendant were true the policy sent him was fraudulent as to him and he was not bound to keep» it, although he had signed an application, without actual knowledge of its contents, and at the instance of the agent, which, conformed to the terms of the policy. 3. Same. In such case the application was admissible in evidence to contradict the defendant; but it was for the jury on .the whole facts to say whether or not he in fact and with full knowledge made the application and whether or not he did get the policy for which he applied or whether a fraud was perpetrated upon him.