W. R. SCHLEHUBER, APPELLANT,
v.
NORFOLK & DEDHAM MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY, APPELLEE
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A property purchaser sought to enforce a fire insurance policy issued to the original owners, claiming rights as a third-party beneficiary under the mortgagee clause after the property was damaged by fire shortly after his purchase. The court affirmed the denial of reformation but reversed the denial of declaratory judgment, holding that the purchaser could enforce the mortgagee payment clause despite lacking a named policy.
The court affirmed the denial of reformation because there was no mutual mistake or fraud, but reversed the denial of declaratory judgment. The purchaser, having an insurable interest in the property at the time of loss, can enforce the mortgagee payment clause as a third-party beneficiary even though he is not named on the policy.
[1] Reformation of an insurance policy requires proof of mutual mistake or fraud.
[2] A person with an insurable interest in property at the time of loss may enforce a property insurance contract.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“a contract of insurance of property may be enforced for the benefit of persons having an insurable interest in the property”
Establishes the principle that non-named parties with insurable interest can enforce property insurance policies
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe Cannons owned property insured by appellee for $7,300 with a mortgagee clause naming Norman Sivin as first mortgagee and Ernest H. Guise and Franc…
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The appellant, W. R. Schlehuber, was the plaintiff in a suit claiming a right to the reformation of an insurance policy and other relief. After answer, the taking of deposition of the plaintiff, and the filing of affidavits and responses to requests for admissions, both plaintiff and defendant moved for summary judgment. The trial court entered a summary final judgment for the defendant Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Company. This appeal followed.
The plaintiff-appellant does not, by either of his points presented, urge the existence of a genuine issue of material fact. The argument is rather that the court erred in not' entering a summary final judgment in his favor. We affirm in part, reverse in part, and remand for further proceedings.
The appellant was trying to enforce an insurance policy issued by the appellee on property that the appellant had purchased. Appellee had issued to Charles L. Cannon and Miriam H. Cannon a policy of insurance insuring a one-family dwelling located in Dade County, Florida against loss or damage by fire in the sum of $7,300. The insurance policy contained a payment to mortgagee clause as follows:
“Mortgagee Clause (This entire clause is void unless name of mortgagee or trustee is inserted on the first page of this policy in space provided under this caption) Loss, if any on the item(s) subject to this clause as specified on the first page of this policy, shall be payable to the mortgagee (or trustee) as provided herein, as interest may appear, and this insurance, as to the interest of the mortgagee (or trustee) only therein, shall not be invalidated by any act or neglect of the mortgagor or owner of the within described property, nor by any foreclosure or other proceedings or notice of sale relating to the property, nor by any change in the title or ownership of the property, nor by the occupation of the premises for purposes more hazardous than are permitted by this policy: Provided, [tjhat in case the mortgagor or owner shall neglect to pay any premium due under this policy, the mortgagee (or trustee) shall, on demand, pay the same.”
The mortgagee clause was made payable to Norman Sivin as first mortgagee and Ben Zeigmund as second mortgagee. Subsequently, the mortgagee payment clause was changed to eliminate the name of Ben Zeigmund, as second mortgagee, and to insert the names of Ernest H. Guise and FTances C. Guise, as second mortgagee.
The Cannons sold the property to the appellant and his wife. At the closing of the sale, the prepaid premium on the fire insurance policy was not prorated. Neither the sellers nor the purchasers asked the insurance company to issue an endorsement naming the purchasers as insureds under *375the policy. The Cannons did not request that the appellee return the unearned portion of the premium. The appellant did not cause the property to be insured by any other insurer.
Less than one month after the closing of the sale and the conveyance of title, the building on the property was damaged by fire. Thereafter, the appellant wrote the appellee requesting that the loss of approximately $7,300 be paid to Norman Sivin, the first mortgagee, and to Ernest H. Guise and Frances C. Guise, the second mortgagee. In spite of appellant’s letter, neither of the mortgagees made a claim under the policy. Thereafter, appellant filed his complaint.1
We construe the complaint to have two aspects. First, it is a complaint for the equitable relief of reformation of a contract; second, it is an effort to secure from the court a declaratory judgment as to appellant’s right to enforce the insurance policy by requiring payment to the mortgagees under the mortgagee payment clause. The appellee concedes the existence of the two aspects of the complaint, and in its brief refers to the second aspect as an attempt to recover on the policy under the theory that the appellant is a third party beneficiary. The appellee urges that the court correctly entered a summary judgment denying the reformation of the insurance policy because it appears from the undisputed facts that there was no mutual mistake or fraud involved in appellant’s failure to secure an assignment of the policy. We are convinced that this position is well taken. See Royal Ins. Co. v. Smith, 158 Fla. 472, 29 So.2d 244 (1947); Hanover Insurance Company v. Publix Market, Inc., Fla.App.1967, 198 So.2d 346; Old Colony Insurance Co. v. Trapani, Fla.App.1960, 118 So.2d 850. However, we do find error in the court’s failure to declare appellant’s rights under the policy, and in its failure to proceed with the enforcement of the mortgagee payment clause upon the basis of appellant’s right as a third party beneficiary.
Fla.Stat. § 627.405, F.S.A.,2 sets out by way of negative statement the proposition that a contract of insurance of property may be enforced for the benefit of persons having an insurable interest in the property. Further, the term insurable interest is defined as an “economic interest in the safety or preservation of the subject” at the time of loss. It is apparent, therefore, that at the time of the loss appellant had an insurable interest and that he has a right to enforce the policy as it was written and in force at that time. We conclude that the language of the mortgagee payment clause which was a part of that policy represents a promise by the insurance company to pay to the mortgagees the extent of their loss as their interests appear. This promise may be enforced by the appellant as a third party beneficiary even though he possessed no policy in his name. See Shingleton v. Bussey, Fla.1969, 223 So.2d 713; Maxwell v. Southern American Fire Insurance Company, Fla.App.1970, 235 So.2d 768. Cf. Duke v. Hoch, 468 F.2d 973 (5th Cir. 1972).
Accordingly, the summary final judgment entered in this cause is affirmed as *376to the denial of the equitable remedy of reformation and is reversed as to the denial of appellant’s prayer for a declaratory judgment directing the appellee to make payment under the mortgagee payment clause. The cause is remanded to the trial court with directions to enter a judgment in accordance with the holdings contained herein and with the further provision that the court may take additional evidence upon any fact which it may find disputed.
Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
Citator
Cited By (16 total)
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The Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Palmer, 297 So. 2d 96 (Fla. 4th DCA 1974)…ld be increased in direct proportion to the extent that the primary security might sustain loss, he had an insurable interest to the full extent of the policy proceeds. See, Schlehuber v. Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Fla.App.1973, 281 So. 2d 373; Aetna Insurance Company v. King, Fla.App.1972, 265 So. 2d 716; Rutherford v. Pearl Assurance Company, Fla. App.1964, 164 So. 2d 213; Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance Company v. Boswell, Fla.App.1964, 167 So. 2d 780; American Central Ins. Co. o…
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Spindler v. Kushner, 284 So. 2d 481 (Fla. 3d DCA 1973)…verage provision contained in a homeowner’s insurance policy. In addition, we have recently had occasion to pass upon the application of the rule to a fire insurance policy. Schlehuber v. Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Fla.App.1973, 281 So. 2d 373, filed July 31, 1973. In the Schlehuber case, we held that an owner of recently purchased property could enforce the seller’s policy of fire insurance covering the property insofar as the policy provided for payment to the mortgagees. Consequently,…
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Leasing Serv. Corp. v. Am. Motorists Ins. Co., 496 So. 2d 847 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986)…s loss as its interests appear. In holding that the owner could state a cause of action as a third party beneficiary, we aligned ourselves with the Third District Court of Appeal’s decision in Schlehuber v Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Fire Insurance Co., 281 So. 2d 373 (Fla.3d DCA), cert. denied, 288 So. 2d 259 (Fla.1973), appeal after remand, 327 So. 2d 891 (Fla. 3d DCA 1976), which involved a similar situation. The case before us is stronger than either of the two aforementioned cases because here the third part…
Previewing 3 of 16 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Shingleton v. Bussey, 223 So. 2d 713 (Fla. 1969)
- Gulf Stream Motors, Inc. v. Christina Cook & the Fla. Indus. Comm'n, 223 So. 2d 713 (Fla. 1969)
- OLD Colony Ins. Co. v. Trapani, 118 So. 2d 850 (Fla. 2d DCA 1960)
- Duke v. Hoch, 468 F.2d 973 (5th Cir. 1972)
- Maxwell v. S. Am. Fire Ins. Co., 235 So. 2d 768 (Fla. 3d DCA 1970)
- Royal Ins. Co. v. Smith, 158 Fla. 472 (Fla. 1947)
- Hanover Ins. Co. v. Publix Mkt., Inc., 198 So. 2d 346 (Fla. 4th DCA 1967)