19 Ind. App. 118 | Ind. Ct. App. | 1898
— Appellee sued appellant on two policies of fire insurance to recover a fire loss. The first paragraph of complaint seeks to recover for the
The fifth and sixth paragraphs of answer, addressed respectively to the first and second paragraphs of the complaint, are substantially the same, and admit the execution of the policies, and the fire; that appellee was a member of the company while the policy was in force; that all losses by fire are paid by assessments on its members; that the company’s by-laws provide that its secretary shall keep a record of all property insured in a book kept for that purpose, and also a list of members and the length of time for which all property is entered for insurance; that on the — day of November, 1894, appellee paid said secretary all
Appellee replied in four paragraphs. The first paragraph is the general denial. The second, third, and fourth paragraphs of reply, which are directed to the fifth and sixth paragraphs of answer, are in substance the same; they admit that on the day named in the answers appellee paid appellant all assessments owing' by him and that he then told said secretary that he wanted no more assessments made against him and that he wanted to withdraw from said company, and that said secretary told appellee he would mark his name off the books of the company, but he avers that he was never notified that his name was erased nor that his policies were canceled; that
Many questions argued by counsel will be determined by the construction to be given the article of the by-laws as above set out.
In the special finding the court found that both of these articles were in force at the time the policies were issued, and continued in force up to and after the fire. Both of these articles provide in plain terms the conditions precedent to be performed by a member before he can withdraw. In the original article a
We do not hesitate, to say that had losses occurred after the conversation between appellee and the secretary of appellant, and before the fire, appellee would have been liable for assessments as provided in his policies. It will not do to say that tiie secretary of the company could by an agreement with a policy holder release such policy holder from any of his liabilities to the company. Such a policy of insurance must be construed along with the charter and by-laws of the company. The policy holder not only receives his policy but he at the same time becomes a member of the company, and as such he assumes certain liabilities to tbe company. He becomes liable to contribute to the loss of each member, including his own loss. He is in a sense both the assured and the insurer. He has no right to terminate such membership, except in the manner prescribed by the company itself, nor can the company terminate his membership only as the company itself has prescribed. From the nature of such companies, paying as they do all losses by assessment on members and not from an accumulated fund, it is of first importance to the company to know at all times who its members are. Its charter provides that the company shall consist of not less than a named number of members. When an assessment is made by the company and paid by a member such payment carries the policy only until another assessment is legally made as the by-laws provide. The company itself has provided in its by-laws how a policy holder may terminate his relations to it, and these provisions of the by-laws cannot be abrogated
Counsel for appellant, in support of their position that the policy was canceled by this parol agreement, cite the case of Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Co. v. Wenger, 90 Pa. St. 220, and set out in their brief the opinion in that case in full. But that case fails to support appellant’s position. The by-laws of the company provided that in case of the withdrawal or expulsion of a member, an entry of such withdrawal or expulsion should be made on the books, and the liabilities should commence and terminate at 12 o’clock on the day on which their names were entered, withdrawn or erased. The policy holder had surrendered the policy, but the compauy had failed to enter the withdrawal on its books. The court held the company not liable for the loss of the property insured, and in the opinion said: “Wenger had nothing to do with the books; if he complied with his part of the contract by a surrender of his policy, which, of course, meant a release of the company, he had nothing more to do, and he was as effectually released from all future obligations to the company as though his name had never been on its books.”
There are certain allegations in the second paragraph of reply that are not material and should have been omitted from the pleading. Appellant’s counsel say “the words are perhaps harmless”, and we think it quite clear that they are harmless, and in that view of it there would be no reversible error to refuse to strike them out.
It is assigned as error that the court' erred in its conclusions of law. It is argued that there is no direct finding that the policies sued on were in force at the time of the fire. The court does not say in so many words that the policies were in force at the time of the fire, but it is found that the policies were issued to the appellee and that they had not expired, and that he had paid all dues and assessments against him; that he had not assigned the policies, nor surrendered them to the secretary to be canceled, and the court further found the existence of the corporation under the statute, its manner of doing business and the charter and by-laws of the company, that in any way affect the issues in the case. We think it clearly appears from the finding that the policies were in full force at the time of the fire.
Carpets and bed clothing are covered by the term “household furniture” in a policy of insurance. The term “furniture” has been held to include plate, china and linen, bronzes, statuary and pictures. See 8 Am. and Eng. Ency. Law, 985 note; 9 Am. and Eng. Ency. Law, 783 note.
One of the reasons assigned for a new trial was error of the court in sustaining an objection to a question propounded by appellant to appellee as to
It is not error to sustain an objection to a'question asked a witness if the witness is afterwards permitted without objection to answer the same question put in a different form. Judgment affirmed.