Sengfelder v. Mutual Life Insurance
Sengfelder v. Mutual Life Insurance
Opinion of the Court
The opinion of the court was delivered by
Plaintiff brought this action to recover of the defendant a certain sum of money which he had paid to one Leadbetter, as the first annual premium upon a policy of insurance upon his life for the sum of five thousand dollars, to be thereafter issued by the defendant. The ground upon which he sought to recover this premium back was that the defendant had failed to approve his application, and issue him a policy as required by the terms of his ap
As to the first alleged error, we think the answer of the defendant, in which it by way of affirmative defense asserted the issuance of a policy by it, was a sufficient admission of its corporate capacity. The rule laid down by this court in the case of Frost v. Ainslie Lumber Co., 3 Wash. 241 (28 Pac. Rep. 354), is decisive of this question, for, while it is true that in that case the complaint was not challenged by demurrer, while in this case it was, yet the demurrer being general was under the circumstances of .this case waived by, the answer, and this question must be decided as though it had never been interposed.
As to the second ground, the proof clearly showed that Leadbetter was the agent of-the company for the purpose ,of receiving applications for insurance, and we think that this, and the other facts shown ■ by the proofs, clearly established his authority to act for the company.
The judgment must be affirmed.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.