Fidelity & Casualty Insurance v. Wil-Freds, Inc.

496 N.E.2d 336, 145 Ill. App. 3d 1085, 99 Ill. Dec. 761, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 2580
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJuly 29, 1986
DocketNo. 2—85—0865
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 496 N.E.2d 336 (Fidelity & Casualty Insurance v. Wil-Freds, Inc.) 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
Fidelity & Casualty Insurance v. Wil-Freds, Inc., 496 N.E.2d 336, 145 Ill. App. 3d 1085, 99 Ill. Dec. 761, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 2580 (Ill. Ct. App. 1986).

Opinion

PRESIDING JUSTICE NASH

delivered the opinion of the court:

Defendant, Wil-Freds, Inc., appeals from a summary judgment entered in favor of plaintiff, Fidelity & Casualty Insurance Co. of New York, and from the denial of its cross-motion for summary judgment in a declaratory judgment action. Defendant contends there remains a disputed question of fact as to what are the terms and conditions of the lost insurance policy in issue and, alternatively, that under the terms of those portions of the policy to which plaintiff has admitted, plaintiff is obligated to defend and indemnify defendant in the underlying litigation.

This action was commenced by Fidelity for declaration that it is not obligated to indemnify or to defend Wil-Freds in an underlying lawsuit which is pending in the circuit court of Du Page County. In that case, the county of Du Page seeks recovery of damages from Wil-Freds, which was the general contractor for the construction of the county’s administration building, and from certain architects who designed it, alleging negligent construction and breach of contract. The construction in question commenced in 1971 and was substantially completed in 1974. Moisture problems allegedly developed in the building and cracks in its exterior walls. The underlying action was commenced in 1982 in which Du Page County seeks damages from the builder and designer for the reduction in value of the building, loss of its use and of the real estate upon which it is located, and for past and future costs of repair.

After being served with process in the underlying action, Wil-Freds tendered its defense to Fidelity from which it had purchased an insurance policy for the construction project for the period of August 31, 1973, to August 31, 1974. Fidelity accepted and undertook the defense of that suit, but with a reservation of any rights it may have under the terms of the policy. Fidelity then commenced the present action for a determination of its obligations to Wil-Freds and the county of Du Page under the insurance contract.

In its amended complaint for declaratory judgment, Fidelity acknowledges that it issued to Wil-Freds a policy of insurance bearing number L — 6307960, effective from August 31, 1973, through August 31, 1974, in which it bound and obligated itself to pay on behalf of Wil-Freds all sums its insured became obligated to pay and to defend any suit against the insured, to which the insurance applied. The complaint alleged that pertinent portions of the policy of insurance were attached thereto as Exhibit A and also described the action brought by the county of Du Page against Wil-Freds for breach of its construction contract and negligence and the damages sought in consequence thereof. Fidelity then alleged that under the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy of insurance issued by Fidelity to Wil-Freds, as shown in its Exhibit A, it is not obligated to defend or indemnify Wil-Freds with respect to the claims made by the county of Du Page and sought that declaratory judgment.

Exhibit A, which is made a part of the complaint and purports to show the insurance contract upon which this declaratory judgment action is premised, is actually an affidavit. Affiant thereto, Sharon Peterson, describes herself as an employee of the Continental Insurance Companies, in the capacity of commercial-lines manager, and states that Fidelity & Casualty Company of New York is one of the Continental Companies. Peterson states further that she was requested to obtain and certify a policy issued by Fidelity to Wil-Freds which was effective August 31, 1973, to August 31, 1974, and was advised by the records storage department that neither it nor the underwriting department any longer maintains a file on that policy. Affiant further stated that attached to her affidavit as Exhibits “A” and “B” are “copies of the forms in use by the company at the time of the issuance of the policy” and that these portions of those forms “would have been a part of any policy of comprehensive general liability insurance issued” by Fidelity to any insured at the time of issuance of the policy to Wil-Freds. Affiant concludes by stating “that the remainder of policy no. L — 6307960 cannot at this time be generated due to the absence of the underwriting file.”

Attached to the Peterson affidavit are six printed pages which appear to be excerpts from an insurance policy. They include various general definition and condition sections, a page entitled “comprehensive general liability insurance” and another page entitled “coverages and limits of liability.” The latter page consists primarily of a blank form in which is to be inserted the amount of coverage, the premiums and the hazards covered; the blanks are not filled in for these items.

Defendant Wil-Freds’ answer to the amended complaint essentially admits there was an insurance policy issued to it by Fidelity covering the period in question and denies the allegations of the complaint that Fidelity is not obligated under the policy to defend and indemnify Wil-Freds in the underlying suit against it by Du Page County. In addition, Wil-Freds answers that Fidelity has failed to attach a copy of the insurance policy in question to its complaint and that Wil-Freds does not possess the policy or a copy of it.

Fidelity subsequently filed its motion for summary judgment in the declaratory judgment action alleging there was no issue of material fact and it was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. In support of its motion, Fidelity referred to its amended complaint and attached a copy of the complaint against Wil-Freds in the underlying suit. Fidelity also alleged that the actual policy of insurance issued was not available to any party, as shown by the affidavit of Sharon Peterson, which was also attached to the motion, and alleged that pursuant to the provisions and exclusions of the insurance-policy forms produced in the Sharon Peterson affidavit, the claims made against Wil-Freds in the underlying action are either not covered or are excluded. On this basis, Fidelity sought a declaratory judgment that it is not obligated to defend or indemnity Wil-Freds in the underlying cause.

Wil-Freds responded with a cross-motion for summary judgment in which it is assumed arguendo that the insurance-policy forms attached to Fidelity’s complaint do, in fact, represent some of the terms of the missing policy. On that basis, Wil-Freds alleged certain of the provisions are within, or potentially within, the claims made by the county of Du Page in the underlying action. Wil-Freds further alleged that there was also included in the missing policy a broad-form property-damage endorsement, which was not among the forms attached to Fidelity’s motion for summary judgment. A blank copy of a form of such an endorsement was attached to the cross-motion, supported by the affidavit of James Blackburn, president of Assurance Agency, Ltd., that Wil-Freds had purchased a comprehensive general liability policy of insurance from Fidelity covering the period in question to which the broad-form property-damage endorsement had been appended. The Blackburn affidavit was supported by an attached certificate of insurance which noted the endorsement. This affiant also stated that the actual general comprehensive liability policy was not in his possession and could not be produced in its entirety.

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Bluebook (online)
496 N.E.2d 336, 145 Ill. App. 3d 1085, 99 Ill. Dec. 761, 1986 Ill. App. LEXIS 2580, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fidelity-casualty-insurance-v-wil-freds-inc-illappct-1986.