Western States Mutual Insurance v. Standard Mutual Insurance

167 N.E.2d 833, 26 Ill. App. 2d 378, 1960 Ill. App. LEXIS 447
CourtAppellate Court of Illinois
DecidedJune 9, 1960
DocketGen. 11,383
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 167 N.E.2d 833 (Western States Mutual Insurance v. Standard Mutual Insurance) 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
Western States Mutual Insurance v. Standard Mutual Insurance, 167 N.E.2d 833, 26 Ill. App. 2d 378, 1960 Ill. App. LEXIS 447 (Ill. Ct. App. 1960).

Opinion

SPIVEY, J.

Plaintiff-Appellee, Western States Mutual Insurance Company, brought suit on April 17, 1959, for declaratory judgment to have declared its rights and liabilities under a certain policy of automobile insurance issued by Western to Robert Glover, one of tbe defendants herein.

In addition to Glover, Standard Mutual Insurance Company and David J. Glawe were made parties defendant. Standard had issued a similar policy of automobile insurance to Glawe.

On December 22, 1956, Glover was given permission by Glawe to use and operate his, Glawe’s automobile insured by Standard. While operating the Glawe automobile Glover was involved in a collision with a tree causing damage to the Glawe automobile in the amount of $649.23.

Thereafter, Glover paid Glawe $50 as his deductible portion of said damage under Standard’s policy and Standard paid to Glawe the sum of $599.23 under the collision coverage of its policy being Coverage E.

Subsequently Glawe brought suit against Glover for $599.23 to enforce the subrogation rights of Standard resulting from the damage caused while Glover was driving Glawe’s automobile. This suit resulted in a judgment in favor of Glawe and against Glover in the amount of $599.23. No appeal was taken from this judgment entered on April 14, 1959, and the judgment is now final.

The relief prayed in Western’s declaratory judgment suit was that the Court: decree, declare, and determine that Western, by the terms, conditions, and exclusions of its policy issued to Glover is under no legal duty to pay the judgment against Glover and in favor of Glawe for the use of Standard in the sum of $599.23; and decree, declare and determine that the insurance afforded by Standard was the primary insurance covering Glawe’s automobile and while being operated by Glover, and that Western’s policy afforded no coverage to Glover and was excess to that of Standard.

After a hearing the Court entered its order, finding among other things previously recited herein, that at the time of the occurrence Glover was a permissive user of Glawe’s automobile and as such became an additional insured under Paragraph III (a) of Standard’s policy; that Western’s policy by its terms was excess coverage over other valid and collectible insurance with respect to temporary substitute automobiles operated by Glover and that at the time of the occurrence Glawe’s automobile was not being used by Glover as a temporary substitute automobile within the terms of said policy, and that by reason thereof Western is not liable under its policy to afford protection or indemnification or coverage of any kind to Glover; that the Financial Responsibility Act of Illinois requires Standard’s policy to insure each person using said automobile with the express or implied permission of the named insured; that Standard is liable under its policy to pay any judgment against Glover and particularly Glawe’s judgment against Glover; and that Exclusion (f) of the Standard policy is inapplicable or ineffective to relieve Standard from liability under its policy to protect and afford coverage to Glover.

The court then ordered, adjudged, and decreed: (1) Western owes no duty under its policy to Glover in connection with any claims arising out of the occurrence in question; (2) Glover was a permissive user of Glawe’s automobile and as such was an additional insured under Standard’s policy with Glawe, and Standard has a duty under its policy to protect and indemnify Glover; (3) Standard’s payment to Glawe of $599.23 under its collision coverage constitutes payment and satisfaction of the judgment in favor of Glawe against Glover, and (4) Glawe as subrogee for Standard cannot recover the sum of $599.23 from Glover and that Glover be released from Glawe’s judgment against him.

Standard appeals and contends that paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 of the judgment order are in error and so limit their appeal by their notice of appeal.

Standard, for reversal, says (1) that although Glover’s permissive use constituted him an additional insured under the property damage liability coverage B of Standard’s policy, yet by the insuring agreement, the company was not liable to Glover for property damage because of Exclusion (f) of the policy and particularly because the property damage was found by a jury to be proximately caused by the negligence of the permissive user; (2) that Paragraph 17 of Conditions provides that no payment under the collision feature of the policy shall provide benefit, directly or indirectly, to a bailee liable for damages, and so, Standard’s recovery against the permissive user is not precluded by the collision payment; (3) that the Financial Responsibility Act does not negative Exclusion (f) or Paragraph 17 of the policy; and (4) that Glawe’s judgment against Glover is enforceable against Glover.

No briefs were filed on behalf of Western or Glover.

The pertinent provisions of Standard’s policy issued on Glawe’s automobile provide:

INSURING AGREEMENTS

I. Coverage A — Bodily Injury Liability.

Coverage B — Property Damage Liability. To pay on behalf of the insured all sums which the insured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including the loss of use thereof caused by accident and arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of the automobile.

Coverage E — Collision or upset. To pay for direct and accidental loss of or damage to the automobile, hereinafter called loss, caused by collision of the automobile with another object or by upset of the automobile, but only for the amount of each such loss in excess of the deductible amount, if any, stated in the declarations as applicable hereto.

III. Definition of Insured, (a) with respect to the insurance for bodily injury liability and for property damage liability the unqualified word “insured” includes the named insured, and, if the named insured is an individual, his spouse if a resident of the same household, and also includes any person while using the automobile and any person or organization legally responsible for the use thereof, provided the actual use of the automobile is by the named insured or such spouse or with the permission of either.

EXCLUSIONS

This policy does not apply:

(f) under Coverage B to injury to or destruction of property owned or transported by the insured, or property rented to or in charge of the insured other than a residence or private garage injured or destroyed by a private passenger automobile covered by this policy.

CONDITIONS

9. Financial Responsibility Laws — Coverages A and B.

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Bluebook (online)
167 N.E.2d 833, 26 Ill. App. 2d 378, 1960 Ill. App. LEXIS 447, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/western-states-mutual-insurance-v-standard-mutual-insurance-illappct-1960.