Majority
Headnote
A suit in equity,to have a policy of life insurance declared existing and in. force,is maintainable where the insurer refuses to receive the premium, when tendered, basing the refusal upon an unfounded claim that the= policy has been forfeited and canceled.This is a suit in equity to have the court declare existing: and in force a contract of insurance upon the life of the plaintiff’s husband, which the defendant claims is lapsed by non-payment of the yearly premium. Such a suit can be maintained, when the premiums have been tendered, and refused on the ground that the contract has been canceled and forfeited, when all the parties are before the court in an actual controversy sincerely promoted and carried on, when it is necessary for Intelligent action for the parties to know at once what are "their reciprocal rights and obligations. (Cohen v. N. Y. Mut. Life Ins. Co., 50 N. Y., 610 ; Hayner v. Am. Pop. Life Ins. Co., 36 N Y. Sup. Ct. [4 J. & S.], 211; S. C., .affirmed, 62 N. Y., 620 .) These things exist in this case, .and it is only to inquire whether the defendant has been in the wrong in declaring the policy lapsed and canceled.
By some of the terms of the written contract between the parties, it was a condition precedent to the continued liability of the defendant to the plaintiff that the latter should in each year, on or before the twentieth day of March, at noon, pay to the former the sum of $200.44. The plaintiff did .not on 20th March, 1874, make that payment in exact ^accordance with those terms, and if held to them exclusively -and strictly, she has lost all rights under the contract and ’has no claim against the defendant; but there are clauses in the contract which affect the parties to it, and modify the terms of it which have just been mentioned. Thus it is stated in it that “ this policy is with profits,” the significance of “which will appear as we proceed. There is also a clause, looking to the giving by the plaintiff of notes to the defendant for the annual payment or premium above mentioned or
Up to the year 1873, or for a space of six years, the-defendant had received from the assured, without objection, on its part, the payment of the yearly recurring premiums in a manner different from that expressed in the policy. In the year 1873 it agreed with the plaintiff to another material change in the mode of payment, and until a time after the 20th March, 1874, it had never given notice or hint-that it would not be satisfied with the substituted method thereafter. It had also, on one occasion, received a post-office order from the plaintiff as a means of payment, and made no demur. It is true that there was a stipulation in the policy that the acceptance of payment after the pay day named therein should not be deemed to enlarge the time for payment, nor to be evidence of a usage-of the defendant to receive the same after that day. But that stipulation doos not vary the effect of the conduct of the-defendant above recited, in the particular hereinafter stated. Another circumstance is, that the policy had originally been, bargained for, at the place of abode of the plaintiff] with a local agent of the defendant stationed there, distant from the office of the defendant; and payments of premium before March, 1874, had been made, upon information as to the amount thereof, which amount, by the operation of some of the clauses of the contract, availed of by the parties by mutual consent, was not necessarily always the same, which information -was got from that agent, by means of a particular statement thereof sent by the defendant to him for delivery to the plaintiff, and which was delivered by him to her..
With this state of things grown up between the parties, we find the plaintiff by her husband, her agent, as early as 14th March, 1874, seven days before the premium for that year became payable, addressing a letter to the defendant, asking for information of the amount needed to make that payment. That letter was received in due course of mail by the defendant, but was not duly replied to. In that letter there was inclosed a post-office order for a sum, in the belief of the plaintiff, expressed to the defendant in that letter, equal to the then last prior payment received by it of her. It is earnestly contended by the defendant that the post-office order was never received by the defendant, and that the phraseology of the letter was not such as to inform it that it was her purpose to inclose it therewith. But the finding of the trial court is otherwise, upon testimony, which, though conflicting, is enough to sustain it. And however dark the meaning of the letter, it was plain enough .from it and from the money order that went with it, that
True, the complaint alleges in general terató that her
Nor was it needful after repeated offers to pay the recurring premiums, sufficient offers, inasmuch as they were in, such shape as if received by the defendant would have put in its hands the money ; and after repeated refusals thereof, and repeated declarations that the policy had ceased and had been canceled on the books of defendant, that the plaintiff should on each following pay-day make formal offer of payment. The plaintiff’s claim for relief is on the foot of as-full compensation by her to the .defendant as strict observance of the contract would have yielded to it. The judgment provides for the same thing, and this is enough.
The judgment should be affirmed.
All concur.
Judgment affirmed.