Marsh v. Durham Life Insurance

Supreme Court of North Carolina
Marsh v. Durham Life Insurance, 154 S.E. 313 (N.C. 1930)
199 N.C. 341; 1930 N.C. LEXIS 111
PER CURIAM.

Marsh v. Durham Life Insurance

Opinion of the Court

Per Curiam.

The knowledge of an insurance agent, who procures an application for insurance, that at the time the applicant is in ill health, is imputed to the company, and such knowledge will prevent the company from avoiding the contract on the ground of false warranty. Short v. Insurance Co., 194 N. C., 649, 140 S. E., 302; Insurance Co., v. *342 Grady, 185 N. C., 348, 111 S. E., 289. Therefore, evidence as to the knowledge of the agent writing the application, as to the physical condition of applicant was competent. The pertinent principle of law was thus declared in Follette v. Accident Asso., 107 N. C., 240, 12 S. E., 370: “Actual knowledge of the plaintiff’s defective hearing on the part of the agent was constructive notice of it to his principal, and, hence, the latter is deemed to have waived the objection that the deafness of the former was a bodily infirmity, notwithstanding the fact that it was provided in the policy that the agents of the company should have no power to waive its conditions.”

Hence the answer of the jury to the second issue entitles the plaintiff to recover.

No error.

Reference

Full Case Name
T. M. MARSH, Executor of ESKER CANTER, v. DURHAM LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
Cited By
1 case
Status
Published