UM/UIM Statute Makes a Motorcycle Into an Automobile
Barry Zalma
Apr 12, 2023
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Progressive Classic Insurance Company contested the trial court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of plaintiff. The sole question to the Court of Appeals was whether the insurer was required by statute to provide coverage for “newly acquired vehicles,” such as plaintiffs motorcycle, notwithstanding an insurance policy term that excluded transportation devices with less than four wheels. The trial court granted plaintiffs motion and denied defendant’s motion.
In Steven Cantu v. Progressive Classic Insurance Company, 325 Or.App. 184, A175784, Court of Appeals of Oregon (April 5, 2023) the Court interpreted Oregon’s UM/UIM statute.
FACTS
Plaintiff was insured by defendant for three automobiles. The policy at issue did not list any motorcycles on the declaration page. About eight days after purchasing a motorcycle, plaintiff was severely injured when another driver negligently made a left turn in front of plaintiff.
As a result of the injuries, plaintiff sought damages in excess of the liability limits of the other driver. Defendant denied underinsured motorist bodily injury benefits based on specific terms of the insurance policy that excluded vehicles with less than four wheels.
The trial court granted summary judgment to plaintiff, after concluding that the relevant definitions in the insurance policy impermissibly provided underinsured motorist benefits that are less favorable to the insured than the terms of ORS 742.504 required.
A motorcycle, under a common understanding of the term, is a “device” “upon or by which any person” “may be transported *** upon a public highway” and is not “moved by human power” or “used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.” A motorcycle is therefore a vehicle within the definition provided by the legislature.
Defendant contended that the trial court erred by construing the statute as requiring the newly acquired vehicle provision to include the motorcycle when the policy itself did not cover any motorcycles.
There is no evidence that suggests that the legislature intended a different meaning for the word “vehicle” when defining “insured vehicle” than it did when defining “hit-and-run vehicle,” “phantom vehicle,” “stolen vehicle,” or “uninsured vehicle.”
The Court of Appeals concluded that it was apparent that the legislature intended the term “vehicle” to carry the definition the legislature provided in paragraph (m) and that the trial court did not err by concluding that the paragraph (m) definition of vehicle was the applicable definition of that word and it included motorcycles.
The court inferred that the motorcycle did not have “at least four wheels,” and was therefore excluded as a “covered auto” under the terms of the policy. A UM policy provides “less favorable” terms to an insured not by a direct comparison between the challenged provision with an individual statutory provision, rather, the coverages provided in the policy against those required by statute.
Thus, the court concluded that, by limiting the definition of “auto” in the policy to devices having “at least four wheels,” defendant impermissibly provided less favorable coverage to plaintiff than that required by law. The trial court did not err by concluding, or by granting summary judgment to plaintiff on that basis.
ZALMA OPINION
Legislatures have an amazing ability to deprive an insurer and insured of the ability to agree to the terms and conditions of the policy contract. Here, the plaintiff and his insurer agreed that it would not insure motorcycles. The plaintiff knew this when he bought his motorcycle. He got the court to provide coverage different than that agreed to in the policy by interpreting the UM/UIM statute to make a motorcycle an auto by the definitions in the statute because Progressive provided a policy wording – approved by the Department of Insurance – that provided coverage for the operation of the motorcycle. Of course, if the accident was plaintiff’s fault he would have had no liability coverage.
(c) 2023 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders. He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 54 years in the insurance business. He is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected]
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Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected]
Concealing a Weapon Used in a Murder is an Intentional & Criminal Act
Post 5002
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In Howard I. Rosenberg; Kimberly L. Rosenberg v. Chubb Indemnity Insurance Company Howard I. Rosenberg; Kimberly L. Rosenberg; Kimberly L. Rosenberg; Howard I. Rosenberg v. Hudson Insurance Company, No. 22-3275, United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit (February 11, 2025) the Third Circuit resolved whether the insurers owed a defense for murder and acts performed to hide the fact of a murder and the murder weapon.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Adam Rosenberg and Christian Moore-Rouse befriended one another while they were students at the Community College of Allegheny County. On December 21, 2019, however, while at his parents’ house, Adam shot twenty-two-year-old Christian in the back of the head with a nine-millimeter Ruger SR9C handgun. Adam then dragged...
Renewal Notices Sent Electronically Are Legal, Approved by the State and Effective
Post 5000
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Washington state law allows insurers to deliver insurance notices and documents electronically if the party has affirmatively consented to that method of delivery and has not withdrawn the consent. The Plaintiffs argued that the terms and conditions statement was not “conspicuous” because it was hidden behind a hyperlink included in a single line of small text. The court found that the statement was sufficiently conspicuous as it was bolded and set off from the surrounding text in bright blue text.
In James Hughes et al. v. American Strategic Insurance Corp et al., No. 3:24-cv-05114-DGE, United States District Court (February 14, 2025) the USDC resolved the dispute.
The court’s reasoning focused on two main points:
1 whether the ...
Rescission in Michigan Requires Preprocurement Fraud
Post 4999
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Lie About Where Vehicle Was Garaged After Policy Inception Not Basis for Rescission
This appeal turns on whether fraud occurred in relation to an April 26, 2018 renewal contract for a policy of insurance under the no-fault act issued by plaintiff, Encompass Indemnity Company (“Encompass”).
In Samuel Tourkow, by David Tourkow v. Michael Thomas Fox, and Sweet Insurance Agency, formerly known as Verbiest Insurance Agency, Inc., Third-Party Defendant-Appellee. Encompass Indemnity Company, et al, Nos. 367494, 367512, Court of Appeals of Michigan (February 12, 2025) resolved the claims.
The plaintiff, Encompass Indemnity Company, issued a no-fault insurance policy to Jon and Joyce Fox, with Michael Fox added as an additional insured. The dispute centers on whether fraud occurred in...
Insurance Fraud Leads to Violent Crime
Post 4990
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CRIMINAL CONDUCT NEVER GETS BETTER
In The People v. Dennis Lee Givens, B330497, California Court of Appeals, Second District, Eighth Division (February 3, 2025) Givens appealed to reverse his conviction for human trafficking and sought an order for a new trial.
FACTS
In September 2020, Givens matched with J.C. on the dating app “Tagged.” J.C., who was 20 years old at the time, had known Givens since childhood because their mothers were best friends. After matching, J.C. and Givens saw each other daily, and J.C. began working as a prostitute under Givens’s direction.
Givens set quotas for J.C., took her earnings, and threatened her when she failed to meet his demands. In February 2022, J.C. confided in her mother who then contacted the Los Angeles Police Department. The police ...
Police Officer’s Involvement in Insurance Fraud Results in Jail
Post 4989
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Von Harris was convicted of bribery, forgery, and insurance fraud. He appealed his conviction and sentence. His appeal was denied, and the Court of Appeals upheld the conviction.
In State Of Ohio v. Von Harris, 2025-Ohio-279, No. 113618, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District (January 30, 2025) the Court of Appeals affirmed the conviction.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
On January 23, 2024, the trial court sentenced Harris. The trial court sentenced Harris to six months in the county jail on Count 15; 12 months in prison on Counts 6, 8, 11, and 13; and 24 months in prison on Counts 5 and 10, with all counts running concurrent to one another for a total of 24 months in prison. The jury found Harris guilty based on his involvement in facilitating payments to an East Cleveland ...
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To Dispute an Arbitration Finding Party Must File Dispute Within 20 Days
Post 4988
EXCUSABLE NEGLECT SUFFICIENT TO DISPUTE ARBITRATION LATE
In Howard Roy Housen and Valerie Housen v. Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company, No. 4D2023-2720, Florida Court of Appeals, Fourth District (January 22, 2025) the Housens appealed a final judgment in their breach of contract action.
FACTS
The Housens filed an insurance claim with Universal, which was denied, leading them to file a breach of contract action. The parties agreed to non-binding arbitration which resulted in an award not
favorable to the Housens. However, the Housens failed to file a notice of rejection of the arbitration decision within the required 20 days. Instead, they filed a motion for a new trial 29 days after the arbitrator’s decision, citing a clerical error for the delay.
The circuit court ...
