Camden Fire Ins. Ass'n v. Bomar
Camden Fire Ins. Ass'n v. Bomar
Opinion of the Court
Appellee sued appellant upon a fire insurance policy in the sum of $700. E. W. Daniels, J. W. Heffington, and W. W. Haggard were made parties defendant to the suit. At the conclusion of the testimony the court discharged I-Ieffington upon his disclaimer of any interest in the policy, and instructed the jury to find that Daniels and Haggard, neither of whom appeared in the case but wholly defaulted, had no interest in the policy, and to return verdict against appellant for the amount of the policy, which was done, and upon which similar judgment was entered, and from which this appeal is perfected. We will not state the pleadings in detail, since they properly raise the issues presented in the brief.
The following are the essential and practically undisputed facts developed on trial; On May 21, 1912, appellant issued a fire insurance policy to J. E. Redd for a term of three years from said date, in consideration of the payment by said Redd of the premium demanded, insuring the one-story frame building belonging to him, situated on lot 3, block C, Carl’s Court addition to Ft. Worth, Tex., against all direct loss or damage by fire, except as provided in tbe policy, in an amount not exceeding $700, any loss or damage arising under the policy payable to appellee, L. H. Bomar, as his interest might appear. Subsequent to the issuance of the policy Redd sold and conveyed the insured property to E. W. Daniels, to whom Redd, with the consent and approval of appellant, transferred his interest in the policy. Thereafter, and on March 29, 1913, Daniels by written indorsement on the policy transferred his right and interest in the policy to one J. W. Heffington, and to which transfer appellant consented by written indorsement on the policy, reciting the consent to be based upon the fact that Heffington had purchased the insured property. On April 30, 1913, the insured property was totally destroyed by fire. Wlicn appellee sold and conveyed the insured property to Redd he retained in the deed the vendor’s lien against the same to secure the payment of a note for $S90, a part of the purchase price. This note was assumed by Daniels -when he bought, and was unpaid at the time the property was destroyed. This indebtedness was tbe interest of appellee referred to in the policy. At the time of the fire the deed records of Tarrant county disclosed that Daniels held the title to the property. It appears, however, from the record of this appeal, that before the property was destroyed by fire Daniels had authorized J. E. Wagner & Co., real estate agents, to sell or exchange same, and that these agents had shown Daniels a place represented by the agents to belong to one S. W. Shaver, which he agreed to take in exchange for his. When Daniels went to the office of the agents to consummate the exchange, he was requested to deed Ms property to J. W. Heffington. Upon inquiring of the agents why the deed was to be made to Heffington they explained that they had been doing some trading and in order to avoid writing deeds and to save recording fees the deed was made to Heffing-ton, the “last purchaser.” Daniels was sat *157 isfied, and executed the deed, and the agents delivered to him a deed from Shaver to his property. Under the deed so 'delivered Daniels took possession of the Shaver property. Daniels informed appellant’s agent that he had sold to Heffington, and at the suggestion of the agent Daniels transferred the policy to Heffington, the agent consenting thereto, in writing. Heffington was not present when Daniels informed the appellant’s agent that he had bought the property, and knew nothing of it. The agent in making the transfer was acting in good faith, and for the purpose of protecting the interest of the parties. As a matter of fact Heffington never agreed to buy the Daniels lot, never authorized the deed to be made to him, never accepted same, and did not authorize the transfer upon the policy of insurance. The real estate agent’s version of the transaction is that he made the trade with Daniels and Shaver, but that before it could be consummated Shaver receded (though Shaver testified that he never at any time agreed to purchase the Daniels lot, in fact refused to do so), and thereupon W. W. Haggard, connected with Wagner & Co., or at least in the real estate business, agreed to take the Daniels lot, but directed the deed to be made to Heffington, to whom he thought he could sell it. Thus matters stood when the fire occurred. After the fire Haggard requested Heffington to claim title to the property in order that the insurance might be collected. Heffington declined to do so, on the ground that the property was uot and never had been his. Haggard was a party to the suit, and not only defaulted in that respect, but did not testify at trial, leaving Heffington’s testimony without contradiction. Appellee requested payment of the policy, which was refused by appellant’s agent.
As material to the issues on this appeal the policy contained the following provisions:
“That this entire policy shall be void if the insured has concealed or misrepresented in writing or otherwise, any material fact or circumstance concerning the insurance or the subject thereof; or if the interest of the insured be not truly stated herein; * * * or if the interest of the insured be other than the sole and unconditional ownership; or if the subject of insurance be a building on ground not owned in fee simple by the insured; * * * or if any change, other than by death of the insured, take place in the interest, title or possession of the subject of insurance”
—unless otherwise provided by' agreement indorsed on or added to the policy. The policy also provided:
“And the loss shall not become payable until sixty days after the notice, ascertainment, estimate and satisfactory proof of the loss herein required have been received by this company,” etc.
Finding no reversible error in the record, the judgment is affirmed.
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Reference
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- Camden Fire Ins. Ass'n v. Bomar.
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