North British & Mercantile Insurance v. Mercer

Duckworth, Chief Justice.

An insurance contract should, if its terms will permit, be construed to effectuate the intention of the parties. Code § 56-815. But since the insurer chooses the verbiage of the contract, all provisions therein that are susceptible of more than one meaning must be construed most favorably to the insured. Hulsey v. Interstate Life & Acc. Co., 207 Ga. 167 (60 S. E. 2d 353).

This case arises solely over the meaning of the exclusion clause of the insurance contract, and specifically the meaning of a single word therein, to wit: “vermin.” This clause provides that the…