Court Opinion

ID: 9446140
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:47:23.971157+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:32.575697
License: Public Domain

JONES, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
It is my belief that it was not intended by the parties that the insurance coverage should extend to the Chrysler Sedan while used in carrying passengers for a consideration unless incidental to the appellant’s business as a funeral director. Funeral is defined as “The disposition of human bodies after death, with the accompanying rites and ceremonies.” 37 C.J.S. p. 1407. The business of a funeral director must have, it seems to me, a direct relationship to the disposition of human bodies after death. In a case decided by the Court of Errors and Appeals of New Jersey, the question here was decided. That Court said, “The incidents connected with burying the dead can hardly be said to be the conduct of a car livery business. That the two occupations may be followed by the same person does not make one the incident of the other, but merely suggests the co-ordination of two sorts of activities.” Heritier v. Century Indemnity Co., 109 N.J.L. 313, 162 A. 573, 574. I do not see any ambiguity in the provision excluding coverage for carrying passengers for hire except where incidental to the business of funeral director. I do not know of more apt phrasing that could have been used to exclude the risk for which the appellant now claims coverage than that which was used. I cannot reach a conclusion other than that my colleagues would permit the jury to make a new and different contract for the parties. Cf. Haenal v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., Fla., 88 So.2d 888. So concluding, I respectfully
Dissent.
Rehearing denied: JONES, Circuit Judge, dissenting.