Opinion ID: 1116146
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: what constitutes primary versus excess uninsured motorist coverage?

Text: Shelter requests this Court to resolve the issue of primary over excess insurance in uninsured insurance benefits. They contend that if the damages suffered do not justify payment of all available uninsured motorist coverage, each uninsured motorist carrier should pay a pro rata share of the damages suffered by the insured with these pro rata shares to be determined by the comparison of each carrier's separate coverage to the total available coverage. The jury determined that total damages amounted to $549,000.00. However, the record reveals that the total insurance coverage available through Travelers amounted to only $210,000.00. Therefore, whether Shelter, as the decedent's personal uninsured motorist carrier, is termed excess or primary is purely academic. Shelter is liable for $50,000.00. Because this case presents a situation where the available funds were insufficient to satisfy the total losses suffered, Shelter's request is not ripe for resolution. As the determination of whether this personal coverage is labeled as primary or excess is inconsequential to the final outcome, we decline to address this matter at this time and reserve the resolution of this problem for another day. In reviewing the uninsured motorist statute, and considering our previous stacking decisions, we affirm the trial court's determination to allow the stacking of the motor vehicles insured under Steel's policy. This cause is remanded for a determination of which insured vehicles qualify as motor vehicles for the purpose of uninsured motorist coverage. AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED AND REMANDED IN PART. ROY NOBLE LEE, C.J., HAWKINS, P.J., and PRATHER, ROBERTSON, ANDERSON, PITTMAN and BLASS, JJ., concur. DAN M. LEE, P.J., concurs in parts I, II, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII and dissents to part III.