Case Name: In the Matter of the Arbitration between Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Appellant, and Barbara A. Fennimore, Respondent
Court: New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1994-02-04
Citations: 201 A.D.2d 979
Docket Number: 
Parties: In the Matter of the Arbitration between Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Appellant, and Barbara A. Fennimore, Respondent.
Judges: 
Reporter: Appellate Division Reports
Volume: 201
Pages: 979–980

Head Matter:
In the Matter of the Arbitration between Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Appellant, and Barbara A. Fennimore, Respondent.
[610 NYS2d 897]

Opinion:
Judgment unanimously affirmed with costs. Memorandum: Supreme Court properly denied petitioner's application to stay arbitration of respondent's claim for underinsurance benefits. Respondent was required to assert her claim "within 90 days or as soon as practicable"; that requirement "called for a determination of what was within a reasonable time in the light of the facts and circumstances of the case at hand" (Mighty Midgets v Centennial Ins. Co., 47 NY2d 12, 19). Respondent offered a reasonable excuse for her delay in asserting the claim for coverage (cf., Schiebel v Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 166 AD2d 520) and showed that she exercised due diligence in ascertaining the policy limits of the vehicles involved in the collision (see, Matter of Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co. v Edgerson, 195 AD2d 560). (Appeal from judgment of Supreme Court, Nassau County, O'Brien, J. — Arbitration.) Present — Denman, P. J., Green, Balio, Fallon and Davis, JJ.