Opinion ID: 1301356
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: FACTS PERTAINING TO SAFECO v. BARCOM

Text: On April 27, 1979, while riding as a passenger in his son's automobile, Gaylon Barcom was injured by an unidentified vehicle. At the time of the accident, Barcom and his son were each insured under their own Safeco Insurance Company (Safeco) automobile liability policies. One policy provided UIM coverage on each of Barcom's three automobiles and the other on his son's three automobiles. On August 13, 1979, Barcom's attorney informed Safeco that Barcom was claiming damages sustained in the accident under the UIM portion of his automobile policy. For the next 6 years, Barcom's attorney and Safeco engaged in numerous conversations regarding the accident and the extent of Barcom's injuries. On January 8, 1986, nearly 7 years following the accident, Barcom's attorney made the first formal settlement demand for $90,000 of UIM coverage. One month later, on February 7, 1986, Barcom's attorney filed a demand for arbitration. On August 1, 1986, Safeco filed this action, a complaint for declaratory judgment against Barcom, alleging that the statute of limitation had run as to any claims Barcom might otherwise have had under the insurance policy. The trial court granted Safeco's motion for summary judgment, holding as a matter of law that the statute of limitation barred Barcom's recovery under the policy. The Court of Appeals, Division Three, reversed, holding that the 6-year statute of limitation applied, and that it did not begin to run until there was a breach of the contract of insurance. Safeco Ins. Co. v. Barcom, 49 Wn. App. 903, 746 P.2d 1226 (1987).