2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 10 - INSURANCE (§§ 10-1-101 — 10-23-110) › PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE (§§ 10-4-101 — 10-4-1909) › Article 4 - PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE (§§ 10-4-101 — 10-4-1909) › Part 6 - AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE POLICY - REGULATIONS (§§ 10-4-601 — 10-4-643) › Section 10-4-609 - Insurance protection against uninsured motorists - applicability

(1)
(a)
(I)
Except as described in subsection (1)(a)(II) of this section, an automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policy insuring against loss resulting from liability imposed by law for bodily injury or death suffered by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, which policy is delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to any motor vehicle licensed for highway use in this state, must provide coverage or supplemental coverage, in limits for bodily injury or death set forth in section
42-7-103 (2)
, under provisions approved by the commissioner, for the protection of persons insured under the policy who are legally entitled to recover damages from owners or operators of uninsured motor vehicles because of bodily injury, sickness, or disease, including death, resulting from a motor vehicle accident.
(II)
Subsection (1)(a)(I) of this section does not apply if the named insured rejects the coverage described in subsection (1)(a)(I) of this section in writing; except that, if the named insured is a transportation network company, as defined in section
40-10.1-602 (3)
, securing coverage for a transportation network company driver, as defined in section
40-10.1-602 (4)
, to protect against damages caused by uninsured motorists, as described in section
40-10.1-604
(2.5), the named insured may not reject the coverage for periods when the transportation network company driver is engaged in a prearranged ride, as defined in section
40-10.1-602 (2)
.
(b)
This subsection (1) shall not apply to motor vehicle rental agreements or motor vehicle rental companies.
(c)
The coverage described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) shall be in addition to any legal liability coverage and shall cover the difference, if any, between the amount of the limits of any legal liability coverage and the amount of the damages sustained, excluding exemplary damages, up to the maximum amount of the coverage obtained pursuant to this section. A single policy or endorsement for uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle coverage issued for a single premium covering multiple vehicles may be limited to applying once per accident. The amount of the coverage available pursuant to this section shall not be reduced by a setoff from any other coverage, including, but not limited to, legal liability insurance, medical payments coverage, health insurance, or other uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle insurance.
(2)
Before the policy is issued or renewed, the insurer shall offer the named insured the right to obtain uninsured motorist coverage in an amount equal to the insured's bodily injury liability limits, but in no event shall the insurer be required to offer limits higher than the insured's bodily injury liability limits.
(3)
Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, after selection of limits by the insured or the exercise of the option not to purchase the coverages described in this section, no insurer nor any affiliated insurer shall be required to notify any policyholder in any renewal or replacement policy, as to the availability of such coverage or optional limits. However, the insured may, subject to the limitations expressed in this section, make a written request for additional coverage or coverage more extensive than that provided on a prior policy.
(4)
Uninsured motorist coverage shall include coverage for damage for bodily injury or death that an insured is legally entitled to collect from the owner or driver of an underinsured motor vehicle. An underinsured motor vehicle is a land motor vehicle, the ownership, maintenance, or use of which is insured or bonded for bodily injury or death at the time of the accident.
(5)
(Deleted by amendment, L. 2007, p. 1921, § 2, effective January 1, 2008.)
(6)
An alleged tortfeasor shall be deemed to be uninsured solely for the purpose of allowing the insured party to receive payment under uninsured motorist coverage, regardless of whether the alleged tortfeasor was actually insured, if:
(a)
The alleged tortfeasor cannot be located for service of process after a reasonable attempt to serve the alleged tortfeasor; and
(b)
(I)
Service of process on the insurance carrier as authorized by section
42-7-414 (3)
, C.R.S., is determined by a court to be insufficient or ineffective after reasonable effort has failed; or
(II)
(A)
The report of a law enforcement agency investigating the motor vehicle accident fails to disclose the insurance company covering the alleged tortfeasor's motor vehicle; and
(B)
The alleged tortfeasor's insurance coverage when the incident occurred is not actually known by the person attempting to serve process.
(7)
Nothing in subsection (6) of this section voids the alleged tortfeasor's policy if the alleged tortfeasor was actually insured.
Amended by 2022 Ch. 169, § 2, eff. 8/10/2022, app. to behavior occurring on or after the applicable effective date of this act.
L. 79: Entire section added, p. 377, § 11, effective July 1. L. 83: Entire section R&RE, p. 454, § 1, effective November 5. L. 92: (2) amended, p. 1759, § 4, effective June 5. L. 95: (1) amended, p. 143, § 4, effective April 7. L. 2007: (1)(c) added and (2), (4), and (5) amended, p. 1921, §§ 1, 2, effective 1/1/2008. L. 2010: (6) and (7) added, (HB 10 -1164), ch. 196, p. 845, § 1, effective 1/1/2011.
2022 Ch. 169, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).