G. A. Stowers Furniture Co. v. American Indemnity Co.

• Decision Date: 27 March 1929
• Docket Number: (No. 1021-4915.)
• Parties: G. A. STOWERS FURNITURE CO. v. AMERICAN INDEMNITY CO.
• Court: Texas Supreme Court

Page 544

15 S.W.2d 544

G. A. STOWERS FURNITURE CO. v. AMERICAN INDEMNITY CO.

(No. 1021-4915.)

Commission of Appeals of Texas, Section A.

March 27, 1929.

Error to Court of Civil Appeals of First Supreme Judicial District.

Suit by the G. A. Stowers Furniture Company against the American Indemnity Company. Judgment for defendant was affirmed (295 S. W. 257), and plaintiff brings error. Reversed and remanded.

Atkinson & Atkinson and Fulbright, Crooker & Freeman, all of Houston, for plaintiff in error.

Fouts, Amerman, Patterson & Moore, of Houston, for defendant in error.

CRITZ, J.

This case involves issues that are questions of first impression in this court, and are so important to the jurisprudence of this state that we deem it advisable to make a very full and complete statement of the issues involved.

This suit was originally filed by the G. A. Stowers Furniture Company, plaintiff in error, hereinafter styled plaintiff, against American Indemnity Company, defendant in error, hereinafter styled defendant, for $14,103.15, together with interest, and for cause of action the petition states, in substance:

That defendant was a private corporation in the city of Galveston, and was engaged during the years 1919 and 1920 in the business of writing and issuing insurance policies and bonds to indemnify the assured against loss by reason of liability imposed by law upon the assured for injuries on account of bodily injuries, etc., and that the said indemnity company issued to said Stowers Furniture Company a policy of insurance for the sum of $5,000 which proposed to indemnify the said furniture company against loss by reason of injuries accidentally suffered by any person or persons if such loss or damage so sustained was by reason of the said furniture company's ownership of the automobiles described in said policy.

It was further charged that defendant, indemnity company, agreed in said policy, and had reserved the right, to defend any suit in the name and behalf of said named assured for such damage or loss sustained if same was by reason of said plaintiff's ownership.

It was further provided that the furniture company should immediately, in the case of an accident, give notice to defendant, indemnity company, at Galveston and should forward to said indemnity company any summons or other process served upon them, and, when requested by said company, the assured should aid in effecting settlement, etc.

It was further stipulated in said policy that the assured, meaning said furniture company, should not voluntarily assume any liability, settle any claim or expense, except at its own cost, and should not engage in any negotiations of such settlement or legal proceedings without the consent of said insurance company, and the said insurance company reserved the right to settle any and all claims or suits brought against the plaintiff.

It was further alleged that the premiums were all paid on said policy, and the same was valid and subsisting and in full force and effect that said policy had been mislaid, and that proof would be offered of its contents.

It was further charged in said petition that on the 23d day of January, 1920, a truck belonging to said furniture company, and covered by said policy of insurance, which was hauling and delivering furniture and being operated by one of the said furniture company's servants, and was being driven on Austin street in the city of Houston, Tex., at about the hour of 7 p. m., came in contact with a wagon standing on the side of Austin street and was thereby disabled and so crippled that said servant could not longer operate it, and that it was left by the servant of said furniture company, without a light and without any one to watch it, and that shortly thereafter Miss Mamie Bichon, who was an employee in a drug store, left for her home at about 8:30 p. m. and was driven by Jamail in a Ford coupé very rapidly along said street, and came in collision with said truck; that the coupé was turned over, and that she was very seriously injured; and that about the 3d day of March, 1920, the said Miss Bichon brought suit for damages against said Stowers Furniture Company for $20,000.

It was further charged that defendant herein took charge of the defense of said suit for this plaintiff in accordance with the terms of said policy.

It was further charged that defendant herein employed counsel and proceeded to trial in said cause of Miss Bichon against the plaintiff, furniture company, and that, after hearing the evidence and the charge of the court, the jury returned a verdict for Miss Bichon for the sum of $12,207 besides cost; that there was an appeal by the defendant herein from said judgment; that the same was affirmed; and that this plaintiff paid to Miss Bichon the sum of $14,107.15, including interest and costs of court.

It was further charged that during the pendency of this suit, and before the trial, Miss Bichon offered to accept $4,000 in full settlement for the damages due her; that defendant herein refused to pay more than $2,500, although its policy bound it to pay $5,000; that the defendant herein knew that the case which Miss Bichon had against this plaintiff was a very dangerous one, and that she was likely to get a judgment for far more than $5,000, and that a person of ordinary prudence would have settled said cause for said sum of $4,000; that defendant admitted that said offer of settlement was a good one and should be accepted; that it willfully and negligently refused to make such settlement, knowing at the time it did so that it was jeopardizing the interests of this plaintiff in a very large amount; that, in refusing to make such settlement, it did not act in good faith, and it did not act like a prudent person would have done under like circumstances; and that by reason of such conduct of said indemnity company the furniture company had been compelled to pay the said sum of more than $14,000.

The material portion of the defendant's answer as shown in the opinion of the Court of Civil Appeals, is as follows:

"That after the happening of the said accident made the basis of this suit the defendant investigated it, and after suit was filed and after citation was forwarded to it by plaintiff herein, it made defense of said suit and defended it through all the courts. That under the terms and provisions of said contract it was to have control of the defense of said suit and no settlement was to be made without its consent, it having the option of settling or defending the suit as it might deem best, and it was under no duty to settle said suit, and it elected to and did defend the said suit. That after making investigation in reference to said accident and the extent of the injuries suffered by Mamie Bichon, this defendant reached the conclusion that the facts of the accident were of such nature that it could and did reasonably suppose that judgment would ultimately result in a verdict for the defendant, and that the injuries suffered by Mamie Bichon as a result of the accident were not of a permanent nature or of such seriousness as to justify a settlement of this case for $4,000. * * *

"For further and special answer herein, defendant says that by the terms of said contract of indemnity its liability was limited, as hereinbefore alleged, to $5,000, with interest thereon at 6 per cent. from the date of the judgment to the affirmance thereof. This defendant says that it has already carried out the terms and provisions of said contract except the payment of $5,000 and interest thereon, which immediately upon the affirmance of this case by the Supreme Court was tendered to the plaintiff herein and plaintiff was notified that defendant was ready and willing to pay the same, but was notified by the plaintiff that plaintiff would not release this defendant from liability, which it was entitled to be released from if it complied with its contract, and stated it was useless to tender the actual money because plaintiff would not accept it; that this defendant has always been ready and willing to pay the limit of its liability, to wit, $5,000, with interest at 6 per cent. until plaintiff's notice it would not be accepted, and is now ready and willing to pay the same, which amount next above mentioned represents principal of $5,000 interest thereon to the date of the notification that tender would not be effective, together with court costs, which are also tendered, which notification to the plaintiff and the understanding that a complete release from liability would not be effected was within ten days of the affirmance of said case by the Supreme Court."

The policy mentioned in the petition contains, among others, the following provision:

"American Indemnity Company

"Home Office: Galveston, Texas.

"In consideration of the premium of this Policy, as expressed in Statement 5, and of the other statements which are set forth in the Schedule of Statements herein made, and which the Assured warrants to be true by the acceptance of this Policy, and also subject to the conditions of this Policy as hereinafter set forth:

"Does hereby agree

"To indemnify the Assured named and described in Statement 1 of the Schedule of Statements forming part hereof:

"Against loss by reason of the...