Gowans v. Northwestern Pacific Indemnity Co.

This is an action against an insurance company under a policy insuring for “loss by theft” to recover money paid by the insured as a reward for the return of stolen jewelry covered by the policy.

Defendant admitted the theft of the jewelry and payment of the reward for its return, but denied that plaintiffs were entitled to recover the amount of that payment as a “loss by theft.” It is stipulated that both the value of the stolen jewelry and the amount of the reward paid for its return were in excess of the $2,000 limit of the coverage provided by the insurance policy.

The case was tried before…