Assurance et responsabilite du commettant

Insurance and liability of the principal

• Auteur / Autrice : Noureddine Toujgani
• Direction : Françoise Dekeuwer-Défossez
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Droit privé
• Date : Soutenance en 1986
• Etablissement(s) : Lille 2

Résumé

Les transformations apportees a la responsabilite du commettant par l'assurance se traduisent par l'introduction d'une nouvelle rationalite dans l'appreciation de ses conditions, de sa mise en oeuvre, et de ses effets. En dechargeant le commettant des consequences financieres des actes dommageables de ses preposes l'assurance provoque un changement de methode dans la determination du debiteur de reparation: le commettant est designe a la poursuite de la victime en fonction de son aptitude a l'assurance. Ce changement de methode est double par l'effacement du commettant derriere son assureur. La victime de l'acte dommageable du prepose dispose d'un droit propre et d'une action directe contre l'assureur du commettant. Elle est la creanciere directe de ce dernier. L'assureur du commettant se fait attribuer la direction du proces et assumera ainsi vis a vis de la victime le role de defenseur sur le probleme de l'assurance et sur celui de la responsabilite. Concernant les effets de la responsabilite du commettant, l'influence de l'assurance se traduit par l'elimination du commettant du processus de la recherche de la responsabilite individuelle du prepose. Cette derniere ne peut etre mise en cause que par l'assureur du commettant, mais seulement en cas de faute intentionnelle.

Changes introduced by insurance into the principal's civil liability are reflected in the new approach to theestimate of its conditions, its enforcement and its effects. By releasing the principal from the financial consequences of the torts of his agents, the insurance brings about a change in the way of determining the person liable for compensation : the victim can sue the principal, depending on the latter's capacity for obtaining insurance. He appears more as a person who can provide for insurance than as one who is really liable for compensation. This new way of determining the person liable for compensation results in the principal disappearing behind his insurer for the enforcement of his liability. The victim of the agent's tort enjoys a direct action and a personal right against the principal's insurer. He is thus entitled to put in a claim to the latter. The principal's insurer will then conduct the proceedings and thus act as the victim's counsel for the defence as far as insurance and liability issues are concerned. As for the effects of the principal's liability, the insurance impact leads to the disappearance of the principal, of the process of establishing the agent's several liability. This liability can be questioned only by the principal's insurer and this only in case of offence with intent.