Opinion ID: 3134238
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Ill 2d 165, 176 (1995). The review of a summary judgment ruling is

Text: an issue of law and our review is therefore de novo. Busch v. Graphic Color Corp., 169 Ill. 2d 325, 333 (1996). At best, plaintiff alleges a breach of contract action. The policy provides that a suit on the policy must be brought within one year of loss. The Insurance Code provides that the limitation period is tolled by the number of days between the date when a proof of loss is submitted and the date when the claim is denied. 215 ILCS 5/143.1 (West 1994). Compliance with the suit limitation provision of the policy is a condition precedent to recovery under a policy. See Schoonover v. American Family Insurance Co., 214 Ill. App. 3d 33, 44 (1991). The loss occurred on January 9, 1992, and plaintiff's claim was denied on May 22, 1992. Plaintiff's suit was filed on October 19, 1993. Even assuming the limitation provision was tolled until plaintiff's claim was denied by the insurer on May 22, the suit, which was filed more than 16 months later, was untimely. The fatal flaw with plaintiff's action is simply that he waited too long to file it. In light of the foregoing analysis, we need not further address the second certified question, concerning whether a suit limitation provision applies to common law fraud actions.