In re Residence-Employee Exception in Homeowner's Insurance Policy Cases

<p>Appeal from St. Louis City Circuit Court. — Hon. J. Hugo Grimm} Judge.</p> <p>(1) Where the policy provides for the payment of an indemnity for the loss of one entire hand or foot, or the loss of two entire hands or feet, it is not necessary, in order to recover thereunder, that there should be an actual physical severance of the member from the body. Any loss which renders it practically useless is sufficient. 1 Cyc. p. 272, and cases cited; 5 Words & Phrases, p. 4236; Sisson v. Sup. Ct. of Honor, 104 Mo. App. 60; Sheanon v. Pac. Mut. Ins. Co., 77 Wis. 618; Lord v. Am. Mut. Acc. Assn., 89 Wis. 19; Sneak v. Trav. Ins. Co., 88 Hun 94; Gahagan v. Morrisey, 3 Lack. Leg. N. 168;' Garcelon v. Com. Trav. Assn., 184 Mass. 8; Fuller v. Locomotive Eng. Mut. Life & Acc. Ins. Assn., 122 Mich. 548. (2) The rule is well settled by an unbroken line of decisions in Missouri, that where the provisions of a policy are capable of two interpretations, that meaning must be applied which is the most favorable to the assured, even though it was intended otherwise by the insurer. Mathews v. Modern Woodman, 236 Mo. 326; Stix v. Indemnity Co., 175 Mo. App. 171; Dezell v. Fidelity & Casualty Co., 176 Mo. 253, 265; Head v. Ins. Co., 241 Mo. 403; Renshaw v. Ins. Co., 103 Mo. 597; Brown v. Assurance Co., 45 Mo. 221; Mining Co. v. Casualty Co., 162 Mo. App. 191; Renn v. Supreme Lodge, 83 Mo. App. 442, 447; Cunningham v. Union C. &. S. Co., 82 Mo. App. 614; Norman v. Ins. Co., 74 Mo. App. 456; Burnett v. Ins. Co., 68 Mo. App. 343; Hoffman v. Ins. Co., 56 Mo. App. 301; Ethington v. Ins. Co., 55 Mo. App. 129; Hale v. Ins. Co., 46 Mo. App. 508; La Force v. Ins. Co., 43 Mo. App. 530.</p> <p>It is the duty of courts to construe contracts and to ascertain their meaning from all of the provisions thereof and not from single words or phrases or sentences, but, when there is no ambiguity or uncertainty in the terms used, there is no room for the application of the technical rules of construction. Matth