Rice v. Hartford Insurance
Rice v. Hartford Insurance
Opinion of the Court
The respondent, on December 21, 1905, issued its policy of insurance to the appellant, whereby it insured the appellant’s dwelling house and the furniture therein in the sum of $350 against loss by fire for a period of three years. The policy contained the following clause:
“This entire policy, unless otherwise provided by agree- . ment indorsed herein or added hereto, shall be void if the insured now has or shall hereafter make or procure any other contract of insurance, whether valid or not, on.property covered in whole or in part by this policy.”
The policy was procured by the appellant through an agent of the respondent company residing at the appellant’s
The only question presented on this appeal is whether the policy was avoided by the fact that the respondent procured additional insurance without the consent of the appellant indorsed on or added to the policy. The appellant concedes that the great weight, if not the entire current of authority in other jurisdictions, is against him, but he argues that this court has adopted a more liberal rule of construction with reference to insurance contracts than that generally maintained, and that the spirit of the cases from this court, although not directly in point, permit a recovery in this case. The cases referred to are, Hart v. Niagara Fire Ins. Co., 9 Wash. 620, 38 Pac. 213, 27 L. R. A. 86; Dooly v. Hanover Fire Ins. Co., 16 Wash. 155, 47 Pac. 507, 58 Am. St. 26; Pioneer Sav. & Loan Co. v. Providence Wash. Ins. Co., 17 Wash. 175, 49 Pac. 231, 38 L. R. A. 397; and Neher v. Western Assurance Co., 40 Wash. 157, 82 Pac. 186.
But in this case there was no deceit, fraud, or misrepresentation of any kind-. The policy attached at the time of its issuance, and would have remained a valid obligation of the company had the appellant not violated its conditions. It is true, he violated the conditions of the policy innocently and in ignorance of them, but his ignorance was his own fault, and was not in any manner induced by the action of the insurance company. These considerations bring the case within the rule of Jump v. North British etc. Ins. Co., 44 Wash. 596, 87 Pac. 928, rather than the rule of the cases above cited.
The judgment is affirmed.
Hadley, C. J., Mount, and Root, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John Rice v. The Hartford Insurance Company
- Status
- Published
- Syllabus
- Insurance — Conditions—Breach — Procurins Other Insurance. A policy of fire insurance providing that it shall be void if the insured procures any other insurance on the property is void where the insured subsequently procures additional insurance, although innocently and in ignorance of the conditions of the policy, which he left in the hands of the agent for safe keeping and never saw.