Streit v. Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Co.

Streit set fire to the house where he lived with his parents, which was insured by Metropolitan. Under the Streits’ policy, the act of arson triggered a contractual exclusion of coverage. The Streits still submitted a claim, but Metropolitan refused to cover the fire damage.The Streits sued, claiming that the exclusion was inconsistent with the Illinois Standard Fire Policy. The Streits and Metropolitan then stipulated that the Streits were innocent of any wrongdoing related to the fire. The district court granted the Steits partial summary judgment, awarding $235,000. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. The Illinois Standard Fire Policy sets a minimum threshold for what fire-insurance policies must cover, and Metropolitan failed to provide that coverage. Under the Metropolitan policy, an intentional loss caused by any insured party suspends coverage for all insured parties—even those who were innocent of any wrongdoing. By contrast, the Standard Fire Policy suspends coverage if “the hazard is increased by any means within the control or knowledge of the insured.” View "Streit v. Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Co." on Justia Law