Opinion ID: 2602383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: insurance primary and excess

Text: ¶ 8 In addressing the issues involved in these questions it is important to understand the insurance terms and underlying concepts, and therefore the following overview is offered. Primary insurance provides immediate coverage for the insured upon the occurrence of a loss or the happening of an event which, under the terms of the policy, gives rise to immediate liability. In the context of liability insurance a primary insurer generally has the primary duty to defend and indemnify the insured unless specific language in the policy provides otherwise. An excess insurance policy is one which by its terms provides coverage that is secondary to the primary coverage; there is usually no obligation to the insured until after the primary coverage limits have been exhausted. Equity Mutual v. Spring Valley Wholesale Nursery, Inc., 1987 OK 121, 747 P.2d 947; Insurance Company of North America v. American Economy Insurance Co., 746 F.Supp. 59 (W.D.Okla.1990).