Opinion ID: 1954597
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: when is certification necessary?

Text: Sections 60-507 and 60-508 address the security that must be provided by an operator of a vehicle involved in an accident. When a person is involved in an accident which results in bodily injury or property damage in excess of $500, § 60-507 permits the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend the person's driving privilege unless that person provides security to satisfy any judgment against him. Section 60-508 forgoes the depositing of security if, in one instance, the owner or operator provides proof that he has an automobile liability policy in effect. The second situation where proof of financial responsibility is required under the act involves a person whose license has been revoked or suspended for failure to pay a judgment against him. See §§ 60-516 to 60-527. In order to reinstate the operator's license or an owner's registration for failure to pay the judgment, the person must stay, satisfy, or discharge the judgment and show proof of financial responsibility. § 60-519. A person may demonstrate proof of financial responsibility under § 60-528 in several ways. One method is to file a certificate of insurance which certifies that there is a motor vehicle liability policy, not an automobile liability policy as required by § 60-508, for the benefit of the person required to show proof of financial responsibility. Section 60-533 specifically defines a motor vehicle liability policy as one certified as provided in §§ 60-529 to 60-531. Pursuant to § 60-534, this motor vehicle liability policy must insure the person named therein and any other person, as insured, using any such motor vehicle or motor vehicles with the express or implied permission of such named insured.... (Emphasis supplied.) This provision is known as the omnibus clause. Section 60-561 states that §§ 60-516 to 60-544 shall not apply to any automobile policy which has not been certified as provided in sections 60-528 to 60-531 as proof of financial responsibility. Thus, the omnibus clause of § 60-534 applies only to owners and operators of motor vehicles who must certify their motor vehicle liability policy in order to reinstate their operator's license or registration which has been suspended or revoked for failure to pay a judgment. In this case, no evidence has been presented that Auto Mart was required to, nor that it did, certify its automobile policy under §§ 60-528 through 60-531. Therefore, Wichelt was not covered as an insured under the auto hazard provision of plaintiff's policy, because plaintiff was not required by law to be an insured.