Murphy v. Frank B. Hall & Co.

This action is brought to recover the expenses incurred in securing a settlement of the fire loss on fifteen barges which burned at their moorings in the Hudson river. They had been insured in English companies not authorized to transact business in New York State. The insurance was secured through defendant acting as plaintiff’s agent. Plaintiff had purchased twenty-nine barges from the United States government, partly on credit. He commissioned the defendant to obtain insurance on fifteen of the barges, naming a very low rate of premium, the policies not to contain the usual requirement as…