Pickrell v. Helgerson
Pickrell v. Helgerson
Opinion of the Court
Defendant, as commissioner of hail insurance, appeals from a judgment awarding peremptory writ of mandamus commanding him to approve an adjustment of loss 'by hail for 33 acres of oats and commanding him to issue a voucher to the state auditor for the sum of $165 (the amount of the adjustment), with interest from October 15, 1924.
In McDonald v. Helgerson, 5 S. D. 136, 222 N. W. 694, 696, where the assessor failed to return the acreage which had been verbally stated to him by the owner, in holding that the crop was not insured, we said: “We think land is not subjected to the premium tax nor in position to receive the benefits of the Hail Insurance Daw unless and until the necessary facts are presented to the county auditor by one or other of the two methods contemplated by the statute— i. e., either by means of the report or return of the assessor or by the statutory verified statement of the owner or occupant filed with the county auditor. What the situation might be if the county auditor, having such information duly filed with him, failed to make the extension on the tax lists as provided in section ix above quoted, is not involved in this case, and we express no opinion thereon.”
Where crop has been properly listed with the assessor for hail insurance, and the assessor has made the proper return thereof to the county auditor, the owner has done all that is required of him in order to have the land subjected to the premium tax and the crop protected by insurance. When the assessor’s return has reached the auditor, he has been furnished with all data necessary to render the land liable for tax, and the crop is insured. The failure of the auditor to mark the assessor’s return “filed,” or his failure for any reason to have the premium tax spread against the land, should not defeat the right of the owner to recover for. loss by hail.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- PICKRELL v. HELGERSON, Ins. Comr.
- Status
- Published