Altaf v. Hanover Square Condominium Association No. 1

544 N.E.2d 1032, 188 Ill. App. 3d 533, 136 Ill. Dec. 257, 1989 Ill. App. LEXIS 1356
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedSeptember 6, 1989
DocketNo. 1-88-2871
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 544 N.E.2d 1032 (Altaf v. Hanover Square Condominium Association No. 1) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Court of Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Altaf v. Hanover Square Condominium Association No. 1, 544 N.E.2d 1032, 188 Ill. App. 3d 533, 136 Ill. Dec. 257, 1989 Ill. App. LEXIS 1356 (Ill. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

PRESIDING JUSTICE FREEMAN

delivered the opinion of the court:

Third-party plaintiffs appeal from the trial court’s grant of a motion for summary judgment in favor of third-party defendant, Economy Preferred Insurance Company (Economy Preferred), and the denial of the third-party plaintiffs’ cross-motion for summary judgment. The third-party complaint sought a declaratory judgment regarding whether Economy Preferred had a duty to defend third-party plaintiffs, Hanover Square Condominium Association No. 1 and five members of its board of directors, and whether Economy Preferred had a duty to indemnify the third-party plaintiffs, regarding an underlying property damage action.

For the reasons stated below, we affirm the judgment of the circuit court.

The record indicates that the underlying suit was brought by Mohammad Altai, a condominium unit owner, against the third-party plaintiffs, the condominium association and members of the association’s board of directors. Altai’s complaint seeks recovery for property damage to his unit resulting from a fire which began in an adjacent unit. At the time of the occurrence, Economy Preferred provided liability insurance to the condominium association under “Special Multi-Peril Policy No. SP-08865.” In addition, Economy Preferred provided errors and omissions coverage to the board members under a directors and officers liability supplement endorsement to the policy.

In count I of the underlying complaint, plaintiff cites section 12 of the Condominium Property Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1985, ch. 30, par. 312), which sets forth the authority of the board of managers to obtain insurance for the property against loss or damage by fire or other hazards. Plaintiff asserts that the condominium association and board of directors had a duty to obtain insurance which would fully insure replacement costs; process with diligence any claims declared under the policy; and oversee the insurance company’s response to claims made under the insurance policy. Plaintiff alleges that defendants breached an implied contract by failing to assist him in having his premises restored as required by statute.

Count II of the complaint, also entitled “Breach of Contract,” cites the bylaws of the condominium association and an enabling declaration filed with the Cook County recorder of deeds. The enabling declaration provides, among other things, that the association or manager will obtain and continue in effect blanket insurance, comprehensive public liability insurance, and other liability insurance it deems desirable. The bylaws state, among other things, that the association or board of directors are responsible for providing for the maintenance and repair of the common elements. Plaintiff alleges that defendants failed to assist him in processing his claim with defendants’ insurance company and that defendants’ insurance company failed to replace furnishings and clothing and other things, and delayed the repair work being performed on plaintiff’s unit.

Count III, entitled “Negligence,” alleges that defendants failed in their duties to provide an insurance company “which processed and completed all insurance claims” and to see that all claims filed with the insurance company were processed quickly and diligently. Plaintiff also alleges that defendants failed to replace damaged property with like property or compensation. Plaintiff alleges that defendants failed also in their implied duties inherent in their positions as board members. A fourth count, also entitled “Negligence,” eventually was dismissed on plaintiff’s motion.

Defense of the underlying suit was tendered to Economy Preferred, which declined coverage and denied owing a duty to defend the association or the board members regarding the allegations of the underlying suit. Defendants/third-party plaintiffs then filed their third-party complaint. Cross-motions for summary judgment were filed, briefed and argued. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Economy Preferred, finding that it had no duty to defend or indemnify the third-party plaintiffs.

The record indicates that the special multiperil insurance policy issued by Economy Preferred provided general liability coverage for the association’s common areas. The additional directors and officers liability supplement endorsement excluded coverage under exclusion “E,” which excludes claims that are:

“E. Based on or attributable to any Wrongful Act in procuring, effecting and maintaining insurance, or with respect to amount, form, conditions or provisions of such insurance.”

The endorsement defines “Wrongful Act” as the following:

“A. ‘Wrongful Act’ means any negligent act, any error, omission or breach of duty of Directors or Officers of the Named Insured while acting in their capacity as such.”

After the defense was tendered to Economy Preferred, Economy Preferred sent a letter to counsel for the association and Board members, indicating that it had no contractual duty to defend or indemnify the defendants. Further, Economy Preferred indicated that coverage was provided only for damages “caused by an occurrence,” defined in the policy as “an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to conditions, which results in bodily injury or property damage neither expected nor intended from the standpoint of the insured.” Economy Preferred asserted that the allegations of the complaint were not based upon an “occurrence.” In addition, Economy Preferred indicated that coverage is not provided under the directors and officers endorsement, since paragraph “E” negates coverage for the claims asserted in the complaint.

The third-party complaint which defendants then filed was drawn in four counts. Count I cites policy language, which provides that Economy Preferred would:

“Defend any civil suit against the insured or any of them, alleging a Wrongful Act which is covered under the terms of this supplement, even if such suit is groundless, false or fraudulent.”

Third-party plaintiffs allege that Economy Preferred’s refusal to appear on behalf of the association and board members is contrary to the terms of the policy in that Economy Preferred has a contractual duty to defend.

Count II of the third-party complaint seeks indemnification for legal fees and costs incurred in the suit and for any judgment which might be entered against third-party plaintiffs in the underlying action. Count III seeks indemnification from Economy Preferred in the event that plaintiff recovers on his complaint against third-party plaintiffs. Count IV of the third-party complaint eventually was dismissed.

In its order the trial court found and declared that: (1) Economy preferred had no duty to defend the third-party plaintiffs regarding the underlying complaint; (2) Economy Preferred had no duty to indemnify the third-party plaintiffs under the policy regarding any claimed losses by plaintiff arising from the fire; and (3) Economy Preferred is not obligated to pay any fees or costs incurred by the third-party plaintiffs in defending the suit. Third-party plaintiffs then appealed.

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Altaf v. HANOVER SQUARE CONDO. ASS'N
544 N.E.2d 1032 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 1989)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
544 N.E.2d 1032, 188 Ill. App. 3d 533, 136 Ill. Dec. 257, 1989 Ill. App. LEXIS 1356, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/altaf-v-hanover-square-condominium-association-no-1-illappct-1989.