Exclusion for Operating an Automobile Without a Reasonable Belief that he or she is Entitled to do So

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United Equitable Insurance Company (UEI) sought and received a finding that it had no duty to defend, indemnify, or provide coverage in relation to an October 4, 2018, automobile accident. A defendant injured in the accident attempted to obtain benefits from the auto policy issued by UEI.

In United Equitable Insurance Company v. Cicely Calhoun, Individually and as Mother and Next Friend of Jadis Baker, a Minor; et al, No. 1-21-0525, 2022 IL App (1st) 210525, Court of Appeals of Illinois, First District, Third Division (March 9, 2022) the Court of Appeal resolved the dispute.

FACTS

In sum, Baker held a graduated driver’s license, which provides conditions for the operation of a motor vehicle by a graduated license holder and he was operating the vehicle in violation of those conditions. Summary judgment was properly granted, and the policy’s reasonable belief exclusion barred coverage.

ZALMA OPINION

Illinois allowed Baker to have a limited license to operate an automobile in the graduated license statute. He knew, or should have known, that the license limited the right to drive an automobile. Since he was only entitled to move one passenger, not five, he could not reasonably believe he had a right to drive with five passengers. Six teenagers in a large vehicle are a priori unsafe as the public policy of the state. UEI did not agree to take such a major risk and that is why it wrote the exclusion into its policy.

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