State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance v. Mohan

228 N.E.2d 283, 85 Ill. App. 2d 10, 1967 Ill. App. LEXIS 1119
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 28, 1967
DocketGen. 66-29
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 228 N.E.2d 283 (State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance v. Mohan) 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
State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance v. Mohan, 228 N.E.2d 283, 85 Ill. App. 2d 10, 1967 Ill. App. LEXIS 1119 (Ill. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

STOUDER, P. J.

Plaintiff-Appellant, State Farm Mutual Insurance Company (hereinafter referred to as SFM), commenced this action for a declaratory judgment in the Circuit Court of LaSalle County, praying for a construction of various policies of liability insurance and a declaration of rights thereunder. In addition to the insurance policy issued by Plaintiff, the action involves policies issued by three other companies, Universal Underwriters Insurance Company (hereinafter referred to as Universal), General Casualty Insurance Company (hereinafter referred to as General), and U. S. Fidelity and Guaranty Company (hereinafter referred to as USF & G). Each of the aforementioned insurance companies was named a party Defendant as was the insured under each policy.

The facts as set forth in the pleadings and as presented by the evidence are not substantially in dispute. Prior to February 29, 1964, Stevenson Sales and Services of Ottawa, Illinois (hereinafter referred to as Stevenson), sold and delivered an automobile to Midway Tobacco Company (hereinafter referred to as Midway), whose principal business was located in Chicago, Illinois. On February 28, 1964, Stevenson picked up the automobile in Chicago from an employee of Midway for the purpose of giving the automobile its 1,000-mile checkup and inspection and also for the purpose of having a dent in the hood removed. Stevenson did not have a body repair shop and it was customary for its body work to be done by the Gordon Lowery Body Shop (hereinafter referred to as Gordon), of Newark, Illinois, Newark being located approximately 20 miles Northwest of Ottawa. When body work was required, Donahue, a partner in the Gordon Lowery Body Repair Business, picked up the automobile from Stevenson, drove it to Newark and returned it to Stevenson after the work had been completed. On February 28, 1964, at 9 p. m. Donahue picked up the car owned by Midway from Stevenson at the latter’s place of business so that he could take the automobile to Newark, repair the dented hood and return it to Stevenson. After picking up the car from Stevenson, Donahue drove the car to the home of his girl friend, Jeanne Fitzpatrick, and thereafter Donahue drove the automobile, with his girl friend as passenger, on a tour of the night spots in the Ottawa area. In the early morning hours of February 29, 1964, the automobile, while being driven by Donahue, was involved in a collision in which his passenger, Jeanne Fitzpatrick, was killed and the automobile sustained serious damage. As a result of the collision Richard Mohan, Administrator of the estate of Jeanne Fitzpatrick, commenced an action for wrongful death against Donahue, in the Circuit Court of LaSalle County.

At the time of the occurrence, Plaintiff had in effect a liability policy in which Donahue was the named insured. The policy included the operation of Donahue’s personal car (not herein involved) and included Donahue’s use of a nonowned vehicle used with the permission of the owner or person in lawful possession thereof. Coverage was excluded with respect to the use of a nonowned automobile while being used in an automobile business.

USF & G had a liability policy in effect, with Midway being its named insured and describing the automobile involved herein. The policy contained the usual and customary omnibus clause which included coverage while the described automobile was being used by another with the permission of the named insured and excluding coverage while the automobile was being used in the automobile business.

Universal had a liability policy in effect, with Stevenson being the named insured, and the insuring clauses of the policy including losses resulting from the operation of automobiles owned by Stevenson and nonowned automobiles when operated by agents or employees of Stevenson.

General had a liability policy in effect, with Gordon being the named insured, which covered losses resulting from the operation of the garage business as well as losses occasioned by the operation of motor vehicles whether owned or not owned when primarily used in the garage business.

In its complaint for declaratory judgment, Plaintiff, SFM, alleged in two counts that its coverage was not applicable because the automobile was being used for garage purposes and was being operated without the permission of the owner. The complaint further alleged that each of the other three insurance companies was primarily Hable under the terms of the individual policies. The three Defendant insurance companies filed affirmative defenses, each alleging lack of coverage.

After evidence was heard and briefs presented the trial court found that the policy issued by SFM did provide coverage and that no coverage was afforded under the policies of the other three insurance companies.

Stevenson in his testimony described the receipt of the automobile from Midway and its delivery to Donahue. In addition he also testified concerning the damages to the automobile and exhibits were offered in substantiation thereof. These exhibits included sales invoices and repair estimates. A general objection was made to the admission of such exhibits by SFM which objection was denied. The trial court, in its memorandum advising counsel of its decision on the coverage afforded by the policies, recommended that Stevenson file a petition for judgment for damages to the automobile. A petition was filed and although SFM answered such petition denying that Stevenson was entitled to judgment on the basis of the law and the facts, the trial court entered judgment in favor of Stevenson and against Donahue in the amount of $2,560. On this appeal the principal question raised is the coverage afforded by the policies and secondarily the propriety of the entry of the judgment for property damages in the declaratory action.

SFM argues the trial court erred in finding that: One, the automobile was not used in the automobile business within the exclusionary provision of the SFM policy; Two, the automobile was not being used in the garage repair business within the coverage of the General policy; and Three, no coverage was afforded by the USF & G policy. Initially we note that neither SFM, General or USF & G argue that any coverage is afforded by the Universal policy, it being conceded that Donahue was neither an employee nor an agent of Stevenson nor was the automobile owned by Stevenson as required under the insuring provisions of the Universal policy. For that reason the Universal policy will not be further discussed and the trial court’s conclusion that no coverage was afforded by such policy is approved.

The issues in this case depend upon the application of principles relating to the use of motor vehicles with the permission of others. The development of rules concerning permission has been occasioned by the common use of omnibus clauses in insurance policies whereby persons using motor vehicles described in the policy with the permission of the named insured are declared to be additional insureds under the policy. Another provision also commonly employed is an additional insuring clause which affords coverage when the loss arises from the named' insured’s use of a motor vehicle of another with the latter’s permission. The two provisions are complementary and designed to afford broad coverage. Permission is a common element of both provisions since each depends either on the permission of the named insured or the owner of the vehicle.

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Bluebook (online)
228 N.E.2d 283, 85 Ill. App. 2d 10, 1967 Ill. App. LEXIS 1119, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-farm-mutual-auto-insurance-v-mohan-illappct-1967.