Case Name: Frederick W. Vanderbilt et al., as Executors of Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Deceased, Appellant, v. The Travelers Insurance Company, Respondent
Court: New York Court of Appeals
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1923-01-30
Citations: 235 N.Y. 514
Docket Number: 
Parties: Frederick W. Vanderbilt et al., as Executors of Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Deceased, Appellant, v. The Travelers Insurance Company, Respondent.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Reports
Volume: 235
Pages: 514–515

Head Matter:
Frederick W. Vanderbilt et al., as Executors of Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Deceased, Appellant, v. The Travelers Insurance Company, Respondent.
Insurance —■ contract of accident insurance — exception where death results from “war” — where testator was drowned as result of torpedoing of vessel on which he was a passenger during state of war no recovery may he had on policy.
Vanderbilt v. Travelers Ins. Co., 202 App. Div. 738, affirmed.
(Argued January 11, 1923;
decided January 30, 1923.)
Appeal from a judgment of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the first judicial department, entered May 9, 1922, affirming a judgment in favor of defendant entered upon a dismissal of the complaint by the court at a Trial Term without a jury. The action was to recover upon a policy of accident insurance issued to plaintiffs’ testator. It contained a clause providing that the insurance would not cover injury or death resulting “ directly or indirectly, wholly or partly from * * * war.” The testator while a passenger on the British steamship Lusitania bound from New York to Liverpool lost his fife as the result of the torpedoing and sinking of said vessel by a German submarine, a state of war existing at the time between the British and German governments.
Roy C. Gasser and William H. Hayes for appellants.
William J. Moran for respondent.

Opinion:
Judgment affirmed, with costs; no opinion.
Concur: His cock, Ch. J., Hogan, Cabdozo, Pound and McLaughlin, JJ. Dissenting: Crane and Andrews, JJ., on ground that the word "war" in the exception of the policy because of its association, means war in which the insured participates as a belligerent.