State Farm sued over Collinsville fire claim

A St. Clair County man says his insurance company has failed to fulfill its obligation after his Collinsville home was lost in a fire.

Charles D. Schreiber filed a lawsuit Sept. 25 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against State Farm Fire and Casualty Company.

Schreiber says he bought insurance for his house and its contents from State Farm agent Otto Daech. The insurance allegedly covered the building for $36,000, the dwelling extension for $3,600 and $1,800 for lost contents. That policy was in effect, according to the lawsuit, in September 2011 when Schreiber's house on Simpson Street caught fire.

When he made a claim to State Farm, Schreiber says the company only paid the lien holder, GreenTree, $32,000, leaving a balance of about $9,400 of an unpaid claim. Scheiber claims he spent more than $15,000 for a lawyer to try to get the rest of the claim covered by State Farm.

Schreiber accuses the insurance company of breach of contract and of violating Illinois' Statutory and Administrative Law by delaying a payment of a legitimate claim. He asks for more than $100,000 in damages for court costs and attorney's fees.

Schreiber is represented by attorney Michael L. McGlynn of Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court Case No. 13-L-497