Opinion ID: 7119198
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Is the issue of cancellation raised ly the pleadings herein?

Text: i pusadins: pleadaNe?ecaa^ ceiiation. Plaintiff averred in the petition that the policy was in force at the time of the loss, and that the conditions precedent for a recovery thereon had been performed by the insured. Defendant, in answer, denied that the policy was in force, and nothing more. This, in substance, is a general denial. Did it raise the issue of cancellation? It must be conceded that cancellation is an affirmative defense. Code Section 3629 provides: “Any defense showing that a contract, written or oral, or any instrument sued on, is void or voidable; or that the instrument was delivered to a person as an escrow, or showing matter of justification, excuse, discharge or release, and any defense which admits the facts of the adverse pleading, but by some other matter seeks to avoid their legal effect, must be specially pleaded.” Cancellation of an insurance policy as a defense involves the discharge of the instrument and a release from liability thereon. It avoids the legal effect of the policy. The material facts of the case were admitted and are not in dispute; and, unless some special matter is pleaded that did discharge the instrument and the legal liability thereon, the trial court could properly have directed a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The cancellation of a contract must be specially pleaded as a defense. To allege in an answér that plaintiff’s claim is illegal, unenforcible, against public policy, or fraudulent, is the pleading of a legal conclusion. The plea of illegality constitutes no de- . fense, within the meaning of our statute on the subject of pleadings. In re Estate of Rule, 178 Iowa 184. Petition or answer must allege facts upon which the pleader relies, and not legal conclusions which he draws from facts not stated. It is said in Marine Ins. Co. v. Hodgson, 6 Cr. (U. S.)  (3 L. Ed. 200): ‘ ‘ However desirable it may be, to admit in evidence, on the general issue, in an action of covenant on a policy of insurance, everything which may avoid the contract, or lessen the damages, as is done in actions on the case, this court does not know that it possesses the power of changing the law of pleading, or to admit of evidence inconsistent with the forms which it has prescribed.” See, also, Kelly v. Stone, 94 Iowa 316; Rawleigh Med. Co. v. Osborne, 177 Iowa 208; Davis v. Anchor Mut. F. Ins. Co., 96 Iowa 70; Hart v. National Mas. Acc. Ins. Co., 105 Iowa 717. The trial court could have correctly sustained plaintiff’s motion for a directed verdict, on the evidence and issues made. This being true, subsequent errors in the record, if any, are not prejudicial and reversible.