Property owner seeks payment on total loss fire claim

A Belleville property owner is suing Safeco Property and Casualty Insurance Company of Illinois over an unpaid total loss fire claim at 620 Valencia on Oct. 4, 2003.

Barbara E. Brown filed suit April 16 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

According to the complaint, a previous suit filed by Brown was dismissed without prejudice on Feb. 20, 2007, in St. Clair County.

"The Plaintiff is filing this 'new action' within the remaining time of the Statute of Limitations...," the complaint states.

Brown claims she paid all premiums and performed all conditions of her policy.

She also names Safeco Insurance Co. as a defendant.

"The Plaintiff, Barbara E. Brown, or her then husband, Donald L. Brown, did not contribute in any way to the fire or cause of the fire to the property...," the complaint states.

The complaint states that the defendants sold an insurance policy for the property in question on Sept. 23, 2003, and on Oct. 3, 2003 -- a day before the fire.

"A copy of said policy was consumed in the fire and cannot be attached or set forth in hac verbe," the complaint states.

Brown, represented by Paul J. Storment, Jr. of Belleville, is seeking $50,000 in damages plus attorney's fees and costs of the suit.