C & J Fertilizer, Inc. v. Allied Mutual Insurance Co.

C & J Fertilizer (plaintiff) bought burglary insurance from Allied Mutual (defendant), whose policy excluded coverage unless there were visible marks of forced entry on the exterior of the premises; Allied's own representative had told C & J only that visible evidence of a burglary was needed, without mentioning the exterior-specific requirement, and C & J's president reviewed the policy but did not recall reading that fine print, though he testified he generally understood burglary provisions from similar farm contracts. After a burglary left all exterior doors locked but showed interior evidence and tire tracks in the driveway, Allied denied C & J's roughly $10,000 claim because no exterior marks existed, and the trial court ruled for Allied.