Brandywine Associates v. Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance
Brandywine Associates v. Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM
Plaintiff Brandywine Associates has brought this action seeking recovery under an insurance policy issued by defendant Cambridge Mutual Fire Insurance Company. Plaintiff alleges that a windstorm on or about March 20, 1976 caused damage to the insured premises, an apartment complex owned by plaintiff. The action is presently before the court on defendant’s motion for summary judgment.
Defendant relies on language in the policy which provides that the “entire policy shall be void ... in case of any fraud or false swearing by the insured. . . . ” Plaintiff initially submitted a sworn statement in proof of loss which represented the amount of loss at $4,972,000.00, a figure equal to the upper limit of the policy. In subsequently itemizing the claim, plaintiff modified the statement of loss to a figure of approximately $66,000.00. Defendant argues that plaintiff’s initial submission of an uncontrovertedly false proof of loss was a willful and knowing attempt at fraud.
It may be that a finding of fraudulent intent would be compelled as a matter of law when the uncontroverted evidence shows an intentional misrepresentation of
Accordingly, the issue of plaintiff’s intent to defraud defendant is an issue of fact to be resolved by the jury. Wherefore, in the accompanying order, I deny defendant’s motion for summary judgment.
. See Lykos v. American Home Assurance Company, 452 F.Supp. 533, 536 (N.D.Ill. 1978); and, Folk v. National Ben Franklin Insurance Company, 45 Ill.App.3d 595, 4 Ill.Dec. 104, 359 N.E.2d 1056, 1057 (1976). Because the insured property is located in Illinois, the parties agree that Illinois law controls the disposition of this motion.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- BRANDYWINE ASSOCIATES v. CAMBRIDGE MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
- Status
- Published