US SUPREME COURT DECISIONS

COPELIN V. INSURANCE COMPANY, 76 U. S. 461 (1869)

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U.S. Supreme Court

Copelin v. Insurance Company, 76 U.S. 9 Wall. 461 461 (1869)

Copelin v. Insurance Company

76 U.S. (9 Wall.) 461

Syllabus

1. If a party assuring a vessel which has been sunk gives notice that he abandons her as for a total loss when by the terms of the policy he has no right so to abandon, the company, even if not accepting the abandonment, will nevertheless make itself liable as for a total loss if, taking possession of the vessel under the provisions of the policy for the purpose of raising, repairing, and returning her, they do not raise, repair, and return in a reasonable time. Holding the vessel for an unreasonable time is a constructive acceptance of the abandonment. chanrobles.com-red

Page 76 U. S. 462

2. This is so notwithstanding there is a provision in the policy that the acts of the insurers in preserving, securing, or saving the property insured, in case of danger or disaster, should not be considered or held an acceptance of abandonment. The provision refers only to authorized acts.

3. When a court below makes a special finding, this Court will not go into an examination of the evidence on which it was founded to ascertain whether or not it was right. The finding is equivalent to a special verdict.

Error to the Circuit Court for the District of Missouri, in which court Copelin brought suit against the Phoenix Insurance Company on a policy of insurance for $5,000 on the steamer Benton, valued in the policy at $45,000. The policy contained these stipulations:

"In case of loss, the party insured shall use every practicable effort for the safeguard and recovery of said steamboat, and if recovered cause the same to be forthwith repaired; and in case of neglect or refusal, on the part of the assured, to adopt prompt and efficient measures for the safeguard and recovery thereof, then the insurers are hereby authorized to interpose and recover the said steamboat, and cause the same to be repaired for account of the assured, to the charges of which the said insurance company will contribute in proportion as the sum herein assured bears to the agreed value in this policy. The acts of the assured or assurers, or of their joint or respective agents, in preserving, securing, or saving the property insured in case of danger or disaster, shall not be considered or held to be a waiver or acceptance of abandonment."

The cause having been submitted to the court without a jury, the court found that the boat insured struck a snag, and sunk in the Missouri River, November 3, 1865, and that the injury was caused by one of the perils against which the company had insured; that though the plaintiff had no right to abandon for a total loss, he gave notice that he did so abandon; but the defendants did not accept such abandonment; that they did, however, under the provisions of the policy, take possession of the vessel for the purpose of raising and repairing her, and returning her to the plaintiff; that accordingly they raised the boat, proceeded to chanrobles.com-red

Page 76 U. S. 463

repair her, and tendered her to the plaintiff, at the home port, on the 9th of May, 1866, more than six months after she had been injured. It was further found that the repairs and tender were not made within a reasonable time; that had the boat been tendered earlier in the season, so as to be used for the spring trade on the river, she would have been worth $5,000 more to the plaintiff; that when she was tendered to him, the repairs made were not sufficient to indemnify him for the injury the boat had sustained; that it would have required an expenditure of $5,000 more to have made the additional repairs necessary to complete the indemnity; and that the plaintiff refused to receive the boat when she was tendered to him, but did not point out the deficiencies in the repairs. It was still further found that the expense of raising and repairing the boat, actually incurred by the defendants, was $12,150.62, of which $1,763.70 was the cost of the repairs made; that the boat, as tendered to the plaintiff, was worth $12,000, and that when injured she was worth $25,000. Upon the facts thus found, the circuit court gave judgment for the plaintiff for the amount named in the policy. And the insurance company brought the case here. chanrobles.com-red

Page 76 U. S. 464



























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