Knights of Maccabees of the World v. Coleman
Knights of Maccabees of the World v. Coleman
Opinion of the Court
delivered the opinion of the court.
The appellee, Mrs. Mamie Coleman, sued and recovered judgment against the appellant, Knights of Maccabees, in
Appellant gave notice under the general issue that it would prove on the trial, among other things, by way of defense, that appellee was not entitled to recover because the insured procured both of said reinstatements through ■ false and fraudulent representations in this, that in each of said applications for reinstatement he represented that he was at the time in good health, when the truth was on each of said occasions he was suffering from Bright’s disease and tuberculosis, and that the insur'ed knew that to be a fact, Avhile appellant did not, and on the faith thereof said insured wag reinstated. Each of said applications for reinstatement contained among others, this stipulation:
*862 “I, the said applicant, having verified each of the foregoing answers and statements, adopt them as my own whether written by me or not, and declare and warrant that they are full, complete and literally true, and I hereby agree that the exact literal truth of each shall be a condition precedent to any binding contract between myself and the association.”
The court on motion struck out all that part of appellant’s notice under the general issue which sought to set up the defense that each of said reinstatements had been procured by fraud. On the trial appellant offered to prove the facts constituting such defense, which evidence the trial court ruled out; and after all the evidence was in directed the jury to return a verdict for appellee, which was accordingly done.
The action of the trial court was based on the theory that under the law appellant was barred from contradicting the representations and statements as to his condition of health, made by the insured either in his original application for membership and insurance made in 1908, or in his reinstatement applications made in 1920. There was not delivered to the insured, with the benefit certificate as originally issued to him by appellant in 1908, a copy of his application therefor; nor was there delivered to him by appellant copies of his said renewal applications made in 1920. By reason whereof appellee contends, and the trial court so held, that section 2075, Code of 1906 (section 5141, Hemingway’s Code), which this court held in Woodmen of the World v. Farmer, 110 Miss. 626, 77 So. 655, applied to fraternal societies like appellant, controlled. That statute provides in substance that all life insurance companies doing business in .this state shall deliver to the insured with the contract of insurance, a copy of insured’s application, and in default thereof such company shall not be permitted in any court of this state to contradict the truth of the statements contained in such application. Appellant contends that the statute in question has no application, for the reason that said statute
“The said foregoing answers and' statements are hereby made a part of my original application, and with the same force and effect as if they were inserted in and were a part of the original application, which application, certificate of membership, articles of association, and the laws of the association in force at my death or disability shall constitute the contract between myself and the Maccabees.”
Chapter 206, Laws of 1916, brought forward and revised and amended all statutes on the subject of the regulation and control of fraternal benefit societies; and by section 4 thereof necessarily repealed section 2675, Code of 3906 (section 5141, Hemingway’s Code), so far as such societies are concerned, which section is in this language:
“Sec. 4. Exemptions. — Except as herein provided, such societies shall be governed by this act, and shall be exempt from all provisions of the insurance laws of this state, not only in governmental relations with the state, but for every other purpose. And no law hereafter enacted shall apply to them, unless they he expressly designated therein.”
It follows therefore that when said renewal applications were made in 1920 there was no statute requiring copies thereof to be delivered to the insured when reinstated as the result of such applications, unless, as contended by appelleo, by virtue of the stipulation last above copied, contained in such renewal applications, said statute (section 2675, Code of 1906; section 5141, Hemingway’s Code) was by operation of law written into and preserved as part
Reference
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- 1. Insurance. Statute held to repeal provision preventing insurer from contradicting statements in application, unless copy thereof was furnished insured. Chapter 206, Laws of 1916, brought forward, revised and amended all statutes on the subject of the regulation and control of fraternal benefit societies, and by section 4 thereof necessarily repealed, so far as such societies are concerned, section 2675, Code of 1906 (Hemingway’s Code, section 5141), which latter statute provided that all life insurance companies doing business in this state should deliver to the insured with the contract of insurance a copy of his application, and in default thereof such life insurance company should not be iDermitted in any court of this state to contradict the truth of the statements contained in such application. 2. Insurance. Excluding evidence of fraudulent representation in application for reinstatement of insured held error. A benefit certificate was issued in 1908 by a fraternal society to the deceased, the husband of plaintiff, who sued thereon; when issued said section 2675, Code of 1906 (Hemingway’s Code, section 5141), was in force. In 1920 deceased, having forfeited his rights under said benefit certificate by nonpayment of dues, was reinstated, as provided by the constitution and laws of the society, on the payment of such delinquent dues, and a showing of good health in his application for reinstatement. When said reinstatement took place said section 2675, Code of 1906 (Hemingway’s Code, section 5141), had been repealed so far as fraternal orders were concerned by section 4, chapter 206, Laws of 1916. The defendant society defended on the ground that in such application for reinstatement the insured falsely and fraudulently represented that he was in good health, when in truth and fact he was suffering with Bright’s disease and tuberculosis. The trial court ruled out such evidence on the theory that said statute (section 2675, Code of 1906; section 5141, (Hemingway’ Code) governed. Held, the ruling of the trial court was erroneous; that the statute in force at the time of the reinstatement of the insured governed, and not that in force at the time the original certificate was issued.