Opinion ID: 1752918
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Expeditious Resolution of Claims

Text: Next, the Nugents contend that American Family should be joined so that their claims can be resolved expeditiously. They argue that if we do not allow underinsured motorist carriers to be sued until the underlying lawsuit has been resolved in excess of all policy limits, lawsuits against underinsured motorist carriers will not be filed until years after the accident occurred. This is a choice that the insurance companies make when they draft their underinsured motorist provisions. If the carrier is concerned about delays, it may intervene in the underlying lawsuit. But we are unwilling to allow all plaintiffs with underinsured motorist coverage to join their carrier in the underlying action so that a few legitimate but premature claims can be resolved more expediently. Such an interpretation would require us to rewrite insurance contracts and would be an unfair burden on an underinsured motorist carrier whose liability has not matured.