WILSON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLANT,
v.
BENJAMIN J. GLAASER, APPELLEE

Fla. 3d DCA | 1962-01-22
No. 61-176
Before PEARSON, TILLMAN, C. J., and HORTON and BARKDULL, JJ.
136 So. 2d 651 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (1962)

AI-generated. These summaries, headnotes, and key points are machine-generated and may contain errors or omissions. Always verify against the full opinion text below. Not legal advice.

Synopsis

An insurance company appealed a decree awarding an insured party $150 in benefits and $250 in attorney's fees under a health insurance policy. The court affirmed that the insured was entitled to recovery and attorney's fees but reversed the specific dollar amounts awarded, remanding for proper proof of the claim amount and reasonable attorney's fees.


Holding

The burden of proving fraud rests with the party asserting it (the insurance company), not the insured. The court affirmed the finding that Glaaser was entitled to recovery and attorney's fees, but reversed the judgment for specific dollar amounts because the complaint did not allege the claim amount, the proof of claim was not made an exhibit, and no evidence was presented regarding reasonable attorney's fees.


Key Quotes

“The burden of proving fraud is upon the one asserting fraud.”

Establishes the legal standard that the insurance company, not the insured, must prove fraud in the policy's procurement.

Previewing 1 of 3 key quotes on this case — the court’s exact language, pinpointed for members.

Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence

Facts & Procedural History

Wilson National Life Insurance Company issued a health insurance policy to Benjamin Glaaser covering hospital, surgical, and medical benefits. Glaaser…

The full statement of facts, procedural history, and disposition for this case are member content.

Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence

© FLexlaw, Inc. — AI-generated enrichments are proprietary. All rights reserved.


Opinion of the Court
PEARSON, TILLMAN, Chief Judge.

PEARSON, TILLMAN, Chief Judge.

The defendant appeals from a final decree entered upon bill and answer. The complaint set forth that the defendant-insurance company had issued to the plaintiff a policy providing for hospital, surgical and medical benefits; that plaintiff had sustained charges covered by the policy and filed a claim which the company refused to pay. The complaint further alleged that the company had given notice of rescission in which it claimed fraud in the procurement of the policy and that a controversy existed as to the terms of the policy. The prayer was for a declaration of plaintiff’s rights under the policy, a judgment “for all sums due” and for attorney’s fees. The plaintiff said in his complaint that he was not guilty of fraud.

The defendant’s answer admitted the issuance of the policy but alleged fraud in its procurement, and in a counterclaim defendant sought cancellation of the policy. The plaintiff filed his reply to the counterclaim. Thereafter, the time for taking testimony having expired, the defendant moved for a decree upon bill and answer.

The final decree was for the plaintiff. The chancellor found that the burden of proving the fraud had been upon the defendant. He entered judgment for $150.00 upon the claim and $250.00 for attorney’s fees. This appeal followed and we reverse in part.

We first consider appellant’s contention that it was entitled to a decree dismissing the complaint. It urges that the plaintiff having alleged in his complaint that he was innocent of fraud, the burden was upon him to prove it. This is not true because plaintiff’s allegation that he was free from fraud was surplusage. The burden of *653proving fraud is upon the one asserting fraud. E. g., Biscayne Boulevard Properties v. Graham, Fla.1953, 65 So.2d 858; Welbourn v. Cohen, Fla.App.1958, 104 So. 2d 380.

Appellant correctly points out that the complaint will not sustain the judgment for $150.00 upon the claim. The proof of claim was not made an exhibit to the complaint and there is no allegation as to the amount of the claim. Therefore the answer cannot have admitted the amount. It does admit that a claim was filed but this is not enough to support a judgment.

As to the attorney’s fees, the chancellor correctly concluded that the plaintiff having prevailed upon his complaint became entitled to a fee under section 627.-0127, Fla.Stat., F.S.A. The complaint does not support a judgment for a definite amount. Evidence of such an amount is necessary in order to determine what is a reasonable attorney’s fee. Cf. Nelson v. Lewis, 127 Fla. 654, 173 So. 835.

When a party properly moves for a decree upon bill and answer after the expiration of the time for the taking of testimony,1 the action of the chancellor in disallowing testimony and disposing of the case on the merits is within his sound discretion and will not be disturbed where no abuse of that discretion has been shown. Tropicaire Engineering Service Corp. v. Chrysler Airtemp Sales Corp., Fla.App. 1957, 97 So.2d 149, 150. When the chancellor cannot render an equitable decree upon the pleadings, however, he should dismiss without prejudice or allow proper amendments and proceed with the taking of testimony. Citizens’ Bank & Trust Co. v. Grey, 100 Fla. 958, 130 So. 274.

That portion of the decree which finds the plaintiff entitled to recovery and an attorney’s fee is affirmed. That portion which enters judgment for the benefits and for attorney’s fee is reversed. The cause is remanded for further proceedings in accordance with this opinion.

Affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded.


Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus


Citator

Authorities Cited

Full citator, related cases, and AI research tools

Open in FLexlaw