Silva v. Sizoo et al., (1997) 48 O.T.C. 347 (GD)

• Judge: Lane, J.
• Court: Ontario Court of Justice General Division (Canada)
• Case Date: December 05, 1997
• Jurisdiction: Ontario
• Citations: (1997), 48 O.T.C. 347 (GD)

Silva v. Sizoo (1997), 48 O.T.C. 347 (GD)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1997] O.T.C. TBEd. DE.109

Maria Silva (plaintiff) v. William F.K. Sizoo and The Canada Life Assurance Company (defendants)

(File No. 94-CU-76289)

Indexed As: Silva v. Sizoo et al.

Ontario Court of Justice

General Division

Lane, J.

December 5, 1997.

Summary:

In 1992, the plaintiff obtained disability insurance from the defendant insurance company through the agency of the defendant Sizoo. In 1993, the plaintiff became disabled. She claimed disability insurance. The insurance company denied the plaintiff's claim on the ground that she made material misrepresentations in the application for insurance. Accordingly, the policy was void. The plaintiff sought to enforce the policy.

The Ontario Court (General Division) dismissed the application. The plaintiff's material representations on the application regarding, inter alia, her health and her income rendered the policy void.

Damage Awards - Topic 2021.2

Exemplary or punitive damages - Insurers - See paragraphs 110 to 114.

Damages - Topic 1305.1

Exemplary or punitive damages - Insurance claim denial - See paragraphs 110 to 114.

Insurance - Topic 2442

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Materiality - Facts known to applicant - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 2446

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Materiality - Material matters - See paragraphs 28 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 2483

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Default in duty to disclose - Requirement that misrepresentation induced insurer to insure - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 2490

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Default in duty to disclose - Misrepresentation - What constitutes - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 2502

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Excuse for nondisclosure - Facts which insurer knows or ought to know - See paragraphs 87 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 2548

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Completing the application - Completion by agent of insurer - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 2554

Applicant's duty of disclosure - Completing the application - Effect of not answering a question - See paragraphs 76 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 3137

Payment of insurance proceeds - Actions - Relief against forfeiture - When available - See paragraphs 102 to 109.

Insurance - Topic 3305

Payment of insurance proceeds - Actions - Defences - False statement by insured respecting claim - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 3306

Payment of insurance proceeds - Actions - Defences - Failure to disclose - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 3307

Payment of insurance proceeds - Actions - Defences - Misrepresentation in application - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Insurance - Topic 3588

Accident and sickness insurance - Exclusions - Pre-existing condition - See paragraphs 1 to 99.

Cases Noticed:

Carter v. Boehm (1776), 3 Burr. 1905; 97 E.R. 1162, consd. [para. 7].

Hoffart v. Revere (Paul) Life Insurance Co., [1996] I.L.R. 1-3272; 136 Sask.R. 223 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 8].

Newsholme Brothers v. Road Transport and General Assurance Co., [1929] 2 K.B. 356 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 18].

Biggar v. Rock Life Assurance Co., [1902] 1 K.B. 516, refd to. [para. 19].

Blanchette v. C.I.S. Ltd., [1973] S.C.R. 833, refd to. [para. 20].

North American Life Assurance Co. v. Caputo (1989), 41 C.C.L.I. 104 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 21].

Vrbancic v. London Life Insurance Co., [1995] I.L.R. 1-3251; 83 O.A.C. 321, refd to. [para. 22].

Stone v. Reliance Mutual Insurance Society Ltd., [1972] 1 Lloyd's Rep. 469 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Cameron v. Coopérants Mutual Life Insurance Society (1992), 118 N.S.R.(2d) 64; 327 A.P.R. 64; 16 C.C.L.I.(2d) 228 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

Ontario Metal Products Co. v. Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York, [1925] 1 D.L.R. 583 (S.C.C.), refd to. [para. 32].

Shields v. North American Life Assurance Co., [1950] 1 W.W.R. 481 (Sask. C.A.), refd to. [para. 35].

Ipapo Estate v. Citadel Life Insurance Co. (1989), 57 Man.R.(2d) 272; 37 C.C.L.I. 259 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 88].

Ford v. Dominion of Canada General Insurance Co., [1991] 1 S.C.R. 136; 121 N.R. 158; 71 Man.R.(2d) 157; 48 C.C.L.I. 160, refd to. [para. 90].

Coronation Insurance Co. et al. v. Taku Air Transport Ltd. et al., [1991] 3 S.C.R. 622; 131 N.R. 241; 6 B.C.A.C. 161; 13 W.A.C. 161; 4 C.C.L.I.(2d) 115, refd to. [para. 91].

Canadian Indemnity Co. v. Canadian Johns-Manville Co., [1990] 2 S.C.R. 549; 115 N.R. 161; 33 Q.A.C. 161, refd to. [para. 91].

Xcan Grain Ltd. v. Canadian Surety Co. (1995), 101 Man.R.(2d) 218; 32 C.C.L.I.(2d) 5 (Q.B.), affd. (1995), 107 Man.R.(2d) 230; 109 W.A.C. 230; 32 C.C.L.I.(2d) 28 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 92].

35445 Alberta Ltd. v. Transamerica Life, [1996] I.L.R. 1-3345; 188 A.R. 94 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 93].

Armstrong v. North West Life Insurance Co. of Canada (1990), 46 C.C.L.I. 18 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 95].

Holliday v. Equitable Life (1984), 7 C.C.L.I. 157 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 100].

Williams Estate v. Revere (Paul) Life Insurance Co. (1997), 101 O.A.C. 280; 34 O.R.(3d) 161 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 101].

Saskatchewan River Bungalows Ltd. and Fikowski v. Maritime Life Assurance Co., [1994] 2 S.C.R. 490; 168 N.R. 381; 155 A.R. 321; 73 W.A.C. 321, refd to. [para. 103].

Liscumb v. Provenzano Estate (1986), 51 O.R.(2d) 129 (Gen. Div.), affd. (1986), 55 O.R.(2d) 404 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 104].

Vorvis v. Insurance Corp. of British Columbia, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 1085; 94 N.R. 321; 58 D.L.R.(4th) 193; [1989] 4 W.W.R. 218; 36 B.C.L.R.(2d) 273; 90 C.L.L.C. 14,035; 25 C.C.E.L. 81, refd to. [para. 111].

Maschke Estate v. Gleeson (1986), 16 O.A.C. 227; 54 O.R.(2d) 753 (Div. Ct.), refd to. [para. 113].

Wright v. National Life Assurance Co. of Canada (1987), 25 C.C.L.I. 1 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 113].

Whiten v. Pilot Insurance Co. et al. (1996), 132 D.L.R.(4th) 568 (Ont. Gen. Div.), refd to. [para. 113].

Statutes Noticed:

Courts of Justice Act, R.S.O 1990, c. C-43, sect. 98 [para. 103].

Insurance Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I-8, sect. 308, sect. 328 [para. 102].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Brown, Craig, and Menezes, Julio, Insurance Law in Canada (2nd Ed. 1991), pp. 285 to 290 [para. 101].

Halsbury's Laws of England (4th Ed. 1976), vol. 25, p. 227 [para. 17].

Norwood, David, and Weir, John P., Life Insurance Law in Canada (2nd Ed. 1993), pp. 296 [para. 7]; 297 [para. 25]; 299, 300 [para. 29]; 303, 304 [para. 33].

Counsel:

P. O'Hagan, for the plaintiff;

E. Schjerning and B. Franklin, for the defendant, Canada Life;

J.D. Strung, for the defendant, W. Sizoo.

This action was heard on October 14 to 17, 20 to 24 and November 3 to 7, 10, 12 to 14, 17 to 19, 1997, before Lane, J., of the Ontario Court (General Division), who delivered the following judgment on December 5, 1997.