Appeals from orders of the district court denying plaintiffs’ alternative motions for amended findings or for a new trial. The appeals involve four separate actions in which identical findings of fact, conclusions of law, and orders for judgment were filed.
The plaintiff in two of the actions is Edward Dоnarski, representative of the estates of Frank and Leonard Donarski; in the other two the plaintiff is Albert Busse for himself and for his minor daughter, Donna Busse. The actions were originally commenced against the defendant, Tim R. Lardy. They arose out of an automobile accident on July 27, 1950, in which Frank and Leonard Donarski were killed and in which Donna Busse was injured. Judgment in each action was entered against the defendant, and thereafter a garnishment summons was served in each case against the Farmers Insurance Exchange.
A hearing was held in the garnishment matter and the trial court found, among other things, that on April 10, 1949, defendant procured a policy of insurance covering bodily injury, property damage, and medical reimbursement through the garnishee’s local agent at Thief River Falls, Minnesota. That policy was renewed on October 10, 1949, for an additional 6-month period to еxpire on April 10, 1950.
On March 18, 1950, defendant negotiated a trade or exchange of his Ford car with his employer, the Forkenbrock Motor Company of Thief River Falls, for a 1939 LaSalle automobile. The balance owing on the LaSalle was to be carried by the Union State Bank of Thief River Falls on a conditional sales contract. As a condition for the acceptance of that contract, the bank required defendant to carry collision and comprehensive insurance on the LaSalle. It was determined at that time that the garnishee’s agent should be called and that the insurance, including public liability, property damage, collision, and comprehensive insurance, would be placed in the garnishee company. It was also determined that the cost for this insurance, including carrying charges, would be added to the conditional sales contract and paid for by the defendant in monthly installments.
Pursuant to that arrangement, a Mr. David R. Drotts, the district agent for the garnishee, called upon the defendant at the Forkenbrock Motor Company. He was then informed of the type of insurance re
This all occurred on March 18, 1950. On March 29, 1950, a policy providing for the various coverages was mailed to the defendant, effective March 18. Along with this policy a statement by the garnishee cоmpany was sent which indicated that the defendant still owed $13.74. This appeared at the bottom of the statement in the following words: “Balance Due Add Coverage ............ $13.74.” Drotts, the agent, did not call upon the defendant nor explain to him the difference between the premium charged and that which he had quoted nor did the defendant call upon the garnishee or its agent for an explanation.
The policy of insurance here involved contained the following provision with respect to cancellation:
“* * * This policy may be canceled by the Exchange by mailing to the nаmed insured at the address shown in this policy written notice stating when not less than five days thereafter such cancellation shah be effective. The mailing of notice as aforesaid shall be sufficient proof of notice and the effective date and hour of cancellation stаted in the notice shall become the end of the policy period * *
On My 12, 1950, the garnishee mailed a notice addressed to the defendant at Box 411, Thief River Falls, Minnesota, showing the amount due of $13.74, and giving notice that the cancellation date of the policy was 12:01 a. m., My 25, 1950, but this notice was nоt received by the defendant. A copy of the notice was mailed to Drotts, the agent, but he did not call upon defendant in regard to this amount still claimed due by the garnishee.
In addition to all of the foregoing facts the court found certain facts
The insurance company contends that the part of the order denying plаintiffs’ motion for amended findings of fact, conclusions of law, and order for judgment is not appealable, citing Julius v. Lenz,
Under the record here, we deem it necessary to determine only the first issue raised by the plaintiffs on appeal. That issue is whether the policy here was canceled when it appears from the court’s finding that the notice of cancellation was not received by the insured. The provision relating to cancellation in the policy in question has been set forth above in our summary of the court’s findings. It is the plaintiffs’ contention here that this provision is ambiguous and capable of more than one interpretation, and further that the provision if interpreted as it was by the district court would be аgainst public policy. On the other hand, the insurance company cites numerous decisions, such as Trinity Universal Ins. Co. v. Willrich, 13 Wash. (2d) 263,
The insurance company urges upon us the rule of law that the courts may not rewrite the contract of the parties. We agree with this rule. However, we also have a well-established rule in this state which is that the language of a policy, being that selected by the insurer and for its benefit, must be clear and unambiguous, and any reasonable doubt as to its meaning must bе resolved in favor of the insured. 9 Dunnell, Dig. (3 ed.) § 4659(16), and cases cited under note 22.
In Freyberg v. London & Scottish Assur. Corp.
“The rule in Minnesota is that an insurance policy is to be liberally construed in the favor of the insured and every reasonable doubt as to the meaning of the language used therein is to be resolved in favor of the insured.”
In that case we also cited Weum v. Mutual Benefit Health & Acc. Assn.
We turn to the provision at hand which contains the following sentence:
“* * * The mailing of notice as aforesaid shall be sufficient proof of notice * *
The plaintiffs raise a question as to the meaning of the words “sufficient proof of notice.” Under the contentions of the insurance company we wоuld have to interpret this sentence to mean that mailing
The Minnesota court had occasion to discuss the meaning of the term “sufficient evidence” with respect to a criminal case in State v. Dinеen,
The mere fact that some degree of proof is required in the cancellation provision in question indicates that the parties contemplated that some notice of the cancellation of thе insurance policy should actually be received by the insured. Therefore, construing this provision consistently with the rule of construction laid down in Freyberg v. London & Scottish Assur. Corp. supra, and in the light of the cases defining “sufficient evidence,” it is our opinion that the provision means that mailing is a proper mode of сommunicating notice of cancellation to the insured, but that it does not thereafter relieve the insurance company of the obligation of establishing that the insured received the notice. It further establishes a rule of evidence entitling a trier of fact to find that an insured does hаve notice of cancellation when the company introduces evidence of the mailing of notice, but on the other hand it would also entitle the finder of facts to find that the notice was not received where the insured has testified that the notice was not received. In case the latter fact is found, as in the case at bar, it must be held that the policy was not canceled.
It is our further opinion that, if this provision were not so interpreted but interpreted as contended for by the company, it would be a violation of the public policy of this state.
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There can be little doubt
“* * * Perhaps no modem commercial enterprise directly affects so many persons in all walks of life as does the insurance business. Insurance touches the home, the family, and the occupation or the business of almost every person in the United States.”
In Patterson v. Adan,
“* * * xhe object and purpose of the contracting parties is not to be lost sight of in construing a contract [of insurance], nor is the rule that in case of ambiguity it must be resolved against the one who prepared the instrument. The language in the lengthy document before us was not the choice of the assured. Recognition needs be taken of thе enormous growth of liability insurance of late years. The hazards of modern industries and the risks connected with some of the advantages of present-day life call for this kind of insurance. Policies attempting to fill this demand should, if possible, be construed so as not to be a delusion to those whо have bought them.”
This statement was made in 1912. It appears to us that it has even greater significance today than it did then.
Clearly the object of the insured when he buys a policy of the kind involved here is to receive protection in order that he might fulfill his obligations to those he has injured or damаged through the use of his automobile. The provision in the policy providing for notice of cancellation is obviously to give the insured an opportunity to procure other insurance. If the policy can be canceled at any time by merely depositing notice in the mails with no rеgard to whether or not notice is actually received, then the object of the notice may be completely
It would therefore seem to us that knowledge on the part of the insured concerning the cancellation of an automobile insurance policy is so vitally important that a policy ought not to be canceled unless the insurance company has put forth more effort to communicate its intention to cancel the policy than would be required under the provision in question if interpreted as contended for by the insurance company.
Reversed.
Notes
In this connection, see DeVries v. Spring Valley Township Mutual Fire Ins. Co.