185 Mo. App. 550 | Mo. Ct. App. | 1915
This is an action on a policy of tornado insurance. The controversy is over the question whether or not the property damaged by the
In addition to $2000 on plaintiff’s residence, the policy provided for “$3500 on the shingle-roof frame barn building situate on same premises, $1000' on the shingle-roof frame barn 100 feet north of first described barn.” The action is for loss on the shingle-roof frame barn building” above described. The windstorm did only $8 or $10' worth of damage to the roof of the building but blew down the silo. Defendant contends that it was a separate structure not constituting a part of the “barn building” and hence was not covered by the policy. Plaintiff insists that the silo formed a part of the building and that the whole was insured as one building.
Insurance is a matter of contract, and the intention of the parties, if it can be ascertained, must determine the sense in which terms employed are used. Of course if that sense is clearly expressed in the policy, then the written terms are binding and conclusive. But if the policy does not clearly express the meaning to be attached to the terms used in describing the property insured, then resort may be had to the surrounding circumstances to ascertain the meaning. In doing so we must have in mind that a policy of insurance, so written as to require construction of its meaning, will be construed in favor of rather than against the insured. It is a contract drawn by the insurer, and, when it is open to two possible interpretations, that one will be adopted which is least favorable to the party drawing it. [Belch v. Schott, 171 Mo. App. 357.] The language of the policy should be construed, if practicable, so as to cover the subject-matter intended to be covered. [19 Cyc. 664] “If the
The words of the policy indicate that a certain entire “building” was to be insured. So far from excluding therefrom anything which mignt not come strictly and technically within the meaning of the term “barn,” the policy does not limit itself thereto but describes a certain “frame barn building.” The other barn included in the policy was not described as a “building” but merely as a “barn.” If there is any distinction to be drawn from the difference m the language used, it.would seem to be in favor of the insured, since the policy describes the structure, which might be considered something more than a barn, as a “barn building” and the other structure merely as a “barn.” But we place little or no significance upon this difference in the descriptive terms used. The question as to what the policy covers depends upon whether or not the silo could be said to form a part of the building, and what was the intention of the parties when the insurance contract was entered into. Were the barn and silo so constructed as to constitute one building and bring the structure within the meaning of that term so as to make it reasonable that it was the intention of the parties that the whole should be insured'? It is true, the structure which defendant would now term the barn proper was built a year or more before the silo was erected. But this difference in time of erection would make no difference if the two were so erected and joined together in such way as to constitute in fact one building. Whether or not
It is urged that as there was a clause in the policy making “loss if any payable to a mortgagee as its interest may appear,” plaintiff was- nox the proper party to sue. This, however, is untenable. [Anthony v. German American Ins. Co., 48 Mo. App. 65.]
With reference to the claim that the judgment is excessive, it should be said that the only evidence as to the extent of the loss was that of McKim the contractor who placed the damage at $507.
The judgment is affirmed.