National Fire Ins. Co. of Hartford v. Humphrey
National Fire Ins. Co. of Hartford v. Humphrey
Opinion of the Court
This suit was instituted in the court below on January 28, 1916, by Julia C. Humphrey, joined pro forma by her husband, Harry Humphrey, appellees, against the National Fire Insurance Company of Hartford, Conn., appellant, on a certain fire insurance policy for $1,500 upon her separate personal property, which consisted of furniture, furnishings, wearing apparel, kitchen utensils, etc., located in her home in Galveston. It was alleged that on January 1, 1916, while the policy was still in force and effect, the dwelling occupied by her was practically destroyed and badly damaged by fire, and that all of her wearing apparel, household and kitchen goods, and other pieces of furniture covered by the policy were totally destroyed, save and except a few chairs and other pieces, which were so badly damaged as then to be worth only the reasonable market value of $35.
The cause was submitted to the jury by the court upon two special issues as follows:
“First. What was the total value of the property covered by this policy in the house at the time of the fire? Answer in dollars and cents.
“Second. What was the amount of loss and damages by fire of the property covered by the policy? Answer in dollars and cents.
The jury answered the first question by saying $3,000, and the second by saying $2,-500. Accordingly the court rendered judgment in favor of appellees against appellant for $1,250, one-half the amount of loss found by the jury, since the $1,500 policy sued upon was for only one-half the total insurance carried upon the property; there being a similar policy for a like amount in another company. From that judgment this appeal is prosecuted.
In these circumstances, we cannot see how the failure to submit the question of whether it had waived what it expressly admits it received could have materially affected its rights.' The assignment is therefore overruled.
Under the second assignment complaint is made of the court’s refusal to submit to the jury appellant’s requested special issues as follows:
*866 “(4) Did Julia C. Humphrey ever submit herself to the sworn examination by agents of the company as notified and requested to do?
“(5) If you have answered the foregoing question in the affirmative, then state when, giving the date, and to whom, giving the name of the person to whom she offered to submit herself for examination.”
We think these issues should have been submitted, and sustain this assignment.
In the contract of insurance the appellees had expressly agreed to submit to such an examination; the pertinent provisions in that respect being the following:
■ “The insured, as often as required, shall exhibit to any person designated by this company all that remains of any property herein described, and submit to examination under oath by any person named by this company, and subscribe the same, and, as often as required, shall produce for examination all books of account, bills, invoices and other vouchers or certified copies thereof, if originals be lost, at such reasonable place as may be designated by this company or its representative and shall permit extracts and copies to be made thereof.”
And again:
“No suit or action on this policy fc¡r the recovery of any claim shall be sustainable in any court of law or equity, until after full compliance by the insured with all the foregoing requirements, nor unless commenced within two years next after the fire.”
It thus seems that, whether by accident or design, the contract to afford the examination was not in fact carried out, and, if not, the provision being material, that appellant was thereby deprived of a, valuable right. Ruling Case Law, Insurance, vol. 14, par. 513, p. 1342; note to 52 L. R. A. 425, 426; note to 51 L. R. A. 706.
While we do not think the evidence was sufficient to require the submission of these last-mentioned issues, made the basis of the third and fourth assignments, since the valuation of household furniture and ladies’ wearing apparel is to a large extent a matter of opinion, the questions thereby presented are not apt to arise upon another trial, and do not reguire further discussion; but, because the court failed thus to submit what by both the pleadings and proof was made a very material issue ⅛ the case, that is, whether or not Mrs. Humphrey had ever submitted herself to sworn examination by the agents of appellant, the judgment must be reversed, and the cause remanded.
Reversed and remanded.
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Reference
- Full Case Name
- NATIONAL FIRE INS. CO. OF HARTFORD, CONN., v. HUMPHREY Et Al.
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