EDWARDSVILLE - A landlord is suing Allstate, alleging the insurance company failed to cover damages following a fire that partially destroyed a structure in Centreville.
Babatunde Owoseni, 53, of Glen Carbon filed the lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court alleging Allstate's denial of payment was "unreasonable and vexatious."
The dispute concerns damage to a house on Tudor Avenue in Centreville following the fire in October 2018.
According to the complaint, Allstate argues that it paid the full maximum amount required under the policy. It also argues Owoseni did not have a qualified tenant residing in the dwelling at the time of the fire.
In Owoseni's complaint against Allstate, the plaintiff alleges he paid all premiums on the policy, which limited coverage to a little more than $44,000 for the dwelling and around $6,000 for other damages.
However, in his complaint, Owoseni alleges he has only been partially paid for the fire damage caused to the property. He was denied further amounts in March and April.
"Based on the totality of the circumstances surrounding the loss of the property...denial of plaintiff's claim is unreasonable and vexatious," the complaint states.
The plaintiff further accuses the insurance company of acting in bad faith when investigating the claim.
Owoseni alleges that because of the denial of the claim, he has suffered the loss of his property and rental income. He also alleges breach of contract.
He wants Allstate tp pay for the removal of debris and for the demolition of the house. He is asking for damages equaling the total appraisal value of more than $50,000.
By coincidence, another fire close to Owoseni's home was set on fire in March 2017 before his own rental property was damaged by a blaze.
In that fire, Christy Campbell, a mother of seven, shot dead her husband, Justin, before setting fire to the house. She was found in Silver Lake after her vehicle went into the water. Six of her older children escaped from the burning house, while her youngest was with her in the vehicle but was rescued by paramedics.
The plaintiff's security cameras captured Campbell driving away from the scene, and also showed her husband just hours earlier, Owoseni told the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
Owoseni is represented by attorney Randal P. Steele of the Steele Law Firm in Glen Carbon.
Madison County Circuit Court Case number 19-L-978.