Court Opinion

ID: 9638495
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 15:44:57.829949+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:06.734566
License: Public Domain

*9WELLIVER, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
The principal opinion exhibits an almost total lack of understanding of the farmers’ mutual insurance law of Missouri. If the vexatious delay statute, § 375.420, RSMo 1978, is made inapplicable to farmers’ mutual insurance companies by § 380.800, RSMo 1978, (now § 380.031, RSMo Cum. Supp.1984), which is admitted by both parties and the principal opinion, then the principal opinion’s result flies squarely in the face of the clear legislative intent that there shall be neither interest nor penalty assessed against these companies for alleged delay in settlement.
The majority also refuses to follow the controlling precedent concerning the award of pre-judgment interest for unliquidated insurance claims established by this Court in Fohn v. Title Insurance Corp. of St. Louis, 529 S.W.2d 1 (Mo. banc 1975). The author acknowledges the existence of Fohn, but attempts to circumvent the long-established rule of that case by resting its decision on “exceptions” to the general rule carved out by this Court more than a decade before the rendition of our decision in Fohn, see e.g., St. Louis Housing Authority v. Magafas, 324 S.W.2d 697 (Mo.1959); Laughlin v. Boatmen’s National Bank, 354 Mo. 467, 189 S.W.2d 974 (Mo.1945) and by hiding behind decisions of our courts of appeals, see e.g., Delisle v. Cape Mutual Insurance Co., 675 S.W.2d 97 (Mo.App.1984), which heretofore have had no controlling effect on our decisions. With one stroke of the pen, the author writes into law pre-judgment interest which eleven bills introduced in the General Assembly since 1965 have failed to accomplish. See, S.B. 739, 83d General Assembly, 2d Reg. Sess. (1986); H.B. 984, 82d General Assembly, 2d Reg.Sess. (1984); S.B. 663, 82d General Assembly, 2d Reg.Sess. (1984); H.S. H.B. 367, 82d General Assembly, 1st Reg. Sess. (1983); S.C.S.S.B. 16, 82d General Assembly, 1st Reg.Sess. (1983); H.B. 1161, 81st General Assembly, 2d Reg.Sess. (1982); S.B. 546, 81st General Assembly, 2d Reg.Sess. (1982); H.B. 309, 81st General Assembly, 1st Reg.Sess. (1981); H.B. 851, 80th General Assembly, 1st Reg.Sess. (1979); H.B. 1723, 77th General Assembly, 2d Reg.Sess. (1974); H.B. 553, 73d General Assembly (1965).
Those who would lead, see, Lippard v. Houdaille Industries, Inc., 715 S.W.2d 491, 505 (Mo. banc 1986) (Welliver, J., dissenting), should, in my opinion, be willing to assume responsibility for their leadership. Under the leadership, guidance and transfiguring hand of the current Chief Justice, this Court has abrogated its judicial responsibility to examine and control the size of verdicts, see, Firestone v. Crown Center Redevelopment Corp., 693 S.W.2d 99 (Mo. banc 1985); and, now would place the gun of pre-judgment interest to the head of every insurance company doing business in Missouri, in its handling of unliquidated damage claims. No two cases handed down by this Court have done or will do more to fuel the rising cost of insurance premiums for the people of Missouri.
The principal opinion, in this instance not only fails to recognize the precedential value of the law established by this Court many years ago, but also chooses to overlook the devastating effect its decision will have on all who pay insurance premiums in this State.