Court Opinion

ID: 9447720
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 22:41:58.719812+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:09.278836
License: Public Domain

WISDOM
(concurring).
I concur specially for the reasons stated.
*879I see no novation here. Novation is never presumed. It must result from the clear intention of the parties. LSA-C.C. arts. 2185-2198. To my mind, the facts fall short of showing any clear intention to extinguish the old contract and establish a new one.
I interpret the Company’s letter of June 17, particularly the language, “As soon as these requested items are received, our prompt attention will be given to your policy surrender”, as business jargon indicating only politeness and a willingness to act promptly for the convenience of the insured. I attach no transforming significance to the request that “To complete the cancellation” the insured should sign and return the “receipt and release form”. There is nothing unusual in an obligor requesting a receipt and release, as a record for its files and to protect itself against paying twice. Certainly, in the ordinary case, an obligor does not consider such a request as a counter-offer leading to a novation. Here are no extraordinary circumstances suggesting that this request was something more than meets the eye. At the time the insurer wrote its letter of June 17, the rights of the parties were fixed. The insurer had only housekeeping or bookkeeping chores to be performed before closing its file on the insured. None of these touched the agreement of the parties.
As I see it, the rights of the parties were fixed on June 6 when the insured accepted the Company’s continuing offer contained in the cash surrender provision of the policy. The essential question is, what rights were fixed.
The insured’s letter of June 6 refers specifically to the payment of the June premium. The amount stated in the “receipt and release” takes into consideration the fact that the June premium was paid. Accordingly, I would hold that the insured was covered for the month of June, and that both parties intended the surrender to take effect at the end of June.