Aurelius v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co.

894 N.E.2d 765
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedAugust 5, 2008
Docket2-07-0266
StatusPublished

This text of 894 N.E.2d 765 (Aurelius v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co.) 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
Aurelius v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co., 894 N.E.2d 765 (Ill. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

894 N.E.2d 765 (2008)

Karen AURELIUS, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Defendant-Appellee.

No. 2-07-0266.

Appellate Court of Illinois, Second District.

August 5, 2008.

*766 William I. Caldwell Jr., Melissa G. Massey, Caldwell, Berner & Caldwell, Attorneys At Law, Woodstock, IL, for Appellant.

Frederick J. Sudekum III, Florence M. Schumacher, Sudekum, Cassidy & Shulruff, Chtd., Attorneys At Law, Chicago, IL, for appellee.

Presiding Justice GILLERAN JOHNSON delivered the opinion of the court:

After a fire substantially damaged her home, the plaintiff, Karen Aurelius, made a claim under a homeowners insurance *767 policy that the defendant, State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. (State Farm), had issued to her and her husband. State Farm, finding that the fire was intentionally caused by Aurelius' husband for the purpose of obtaining insurance benefits, denied coverage. On November 14, 2006, Aurelius filed a first amended three-count complaint against State Farm for declaratory judgment, "damages," and "attorney's fees and punitive damages." On December 15, 2006, State Farm filed a motion to dismiss pursuant to section 2-619.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure (the Code) (735 ILCS 5/2-619.1 (West 2006)). On February 14, 2007, the trial court granted State Farm's motion. Aurelius appeals from this order. We affirm.

On November 1, 2001, Aurelius and her husband were joint owners of 9 Joseph Court, Lake in the Hills. On that day, their home was significantly damaged by fire. On August 19, 2005, Aurelius' husband was convicted of the felony of arson with intent to commit insurance fraud. State Farm provided a policy of insurance on Aurelius' home. The named insureds on the policy were Aurelius and her husband. On January 12, 2006, Aurelius submitted a claim to State Farm under her homeowners insurance policy to recover losses as a result of the fire.

On March 13, 2006, State Farm sent a letter indicating that it was denying any and all coverage to Aurelius on the claim. In that letter, State Farm explained that, shortly following the fire, Aurelius and her husband notified State Farm of the claim. On November 7, 2001, Aurelius and her husband provided a recorded statement to State Farm. Aurelius' husband was later charged with the crime of arson with the intent to commit insurance fraud in connection with the claim. The parties agreed to hold the claim in abeyance pending the resolution of the criminal charges. Aurelius' husband was later convicted of the charged crime. State Farm explained that it was denying coverage for two reasons. First, the fire was intentionally caused by Aurelius' husband for the purpose of obtaining insurance benefits. The policy provided, in "Section I—Conditions," as follows:

"12. Intentional Acts. If you or any person insured under this policy causes or procures a loss to property covered under this policy for the purpose of obtaining insurance benefits, then this policy is void and we will not pay you or any other insured for this loss."

Accordingly, State Farm denied coverage to Aurelius under this provision of the policy.

Second, State Farm explained that Aurelius' husband intentionally concealed or misrepresented material facts relating to how the fire started. Specifically, State Farm indicated that in his recorded statement, Aurelius' husband denied causing the fire. State Farm concluded that the statement constituted the misrepresentation of material facts. The insurance policy provided, in "Section I and Section II— Conditions":

"2. Concealment or Fraud. This policy is void as to you and any other insured, if you or any other insured under this policy has intentionally concealed or misrepresented any material fact or circumstance relating to this insurance either before or after a loss."

Accordingly, State Farm denied coverage to Aurelius under this provision of the insurance policy as well.

On November 14, 2006, Aurelius filed a first amended complaint against State Farm. Count I sought a declaratory judgment that her homeowners insurance policy provided coverage for the damage caused by the November 1, 2001, fire. Aurelius alleged that she had no knowledge *768 or participation in any of the alleged insurance fraud and that she was an innocent insured. Aurelius also alleged that the homeowners insurance policy language was ambiguous as to whether coverage was precluded for an innocent insured and that, therefore, she should be provided coverage under the policy. Count II, entitled "Damages," indicated that Aurelius had done all things the policy required in support of her claim and requested damages in an amount covered by the policy, plus her costs of suit. Count III, entitled "Attorney's Fees and Punitive Damages," alleged vexatious and unreasonable conduct pursuant to section 155 of the Illinois Insurance Code (215 ILCS 5/155 (West 2006)) and sought attorney fees and other damages.

On December 15, 2006, State Farm filed a combined motion to dismiss pursuant to section 2-619.1 of the Code (735 ILCS 5/2-619.1 (West 2006)). State Farm argued that Aurelius' entire complaint should be dismissed pursuant to section 2-619 (735 ILCS 5/2-619 (West 2006)) because the "Intentional Acts" and "Concealment or Fraud" provisions of the insurance policy unambiguously denied coverage to Aurelius, based on the actions of her husband. State Farm argued that Aurelius' husband violated the "Intentional Acts" and "Concealment or Fraud" provisions of the insurance policy by committing the felony of arson with the intent to commit insurance fraud.

Alternatively, State Farm argued that counts II and III of Aurelius' first amended complaint should be dismissed pursuant to section 2-615 of the Code (735 ILCS 5/2-615 (West 2006)) for failure to properly plead. With respect to count II, entitled "Damages," State Farm argued that there was no such recognized cause of action in Illinois. State Farm also argued that, to the extent Aurelius was attempting to state a cause of action for breach of contract, the allegations were insufficient to state such a claim. With respect to count III, entitled "Attorney's Fees and Punitive Damages," State Farm argued that Aurelius failed to plead sufficient facts to establish vexatious and unreasonable conduct under section 155 of the Illinois Insurance Code (215 ILCS 5/155 (West 2006)) and that punitive damages were not recoverable in a breach of contract action.

On February 14, 2007, following a hearing, the trial court determined that the language of the insurance policy unambiguously denied Aurelius coverage under the circumstances. Accordingly, the trial court granted State Farm's section 2-619 motion and dismissed Aurelius' first amended complaint in its entirety. The trial court also noted that, had it not granted the section 2-619 motion, it would have granted the section 2-615 motion to dismiss counts II and III because Aurelius failed to properly plead her causes of action. Aurelius filed a motion to reconsider and clarify the order.

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Aurelius v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company
894 N.E.2d 765 (Appellate Court of Illinois, 2008)

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894 N.E.2d 765, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aurelius-v-state-farm-fire-and-cas-co-illappct-2008.