EDWARDSVILLE – Farmers Insurance Exchange alleges a Madison County insurance agent used confidential information to transfer customers to competitors while working as the plaintiff's contractor.
Farmers Insurance Exchange, et al. filed a complaint on Jan. 12 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Michael J. Cluck and Cluck Associates Inc., doing business as the Cluck Family Agency, alleging violation of the Illinois Trade Secrets Act.
According to the complaint, Cluck is a former independent contractor for Farmers. The plaintiff alleges Cluck misappropriated its trade secret customer information to solicit its customers. Farmers also alleges Cluck unlawfully transferred Farmers' customers to Allstate while working as a contractor for it and has unlawfully retained the plaintiff's confidential information, causing Farmers to suffer "substantial" damages.
The plaintiff seeks an injunction order enjoining defendants from using Farmers' confidential information, return of all of Farmers' intellectual property, award for all damages and reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Farmers is represented by Troy A. Bozarth of HeplerBroom LLC in Edwardsville and Randall Hack, Brian I. Hays and W. Patrick Conlon of Locke Lord LLP in Chicago.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 18-L-40