Court Opinion

ID: 9724590
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 11:03:38.37356+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:02.828181
License: Public Domain

GUSTAFSON, J.
I concur in the judgment.
Patin, injured when struck by an uninsured motorist, was a “named insured” in the policy issued by plaintiff. Robert was a “named insured” in the policy issued by defendant covering the automobile in which Robert was seated when Patin was struck. Each policy included uninsured motorist coverage (Ins. Code, § 11580.2) in the minimum statutory amount of $15,000 for injury to one person and $30,000 for injuries to two or more persons in one accident. (Veh. Code, § 16059.)
With respect to coverage of an insurance policy, the rule is that the policy should be broadly construed with any • doubtful case being resolved in favor of inclusion under the terms of the policy. With respect to an exclusion clause in a policy, the rule is that it should be narrowly construed with any doubtful case being resolved against exclusion from the policy.
Patin’s policy concededly covered him unless he was injured “while in or upon or while entering into or alighting from an automobile other than [his] automobile if the owner thereof has insurance similar to that provided in this section.” (Ins. Code, § 11580.2, subd. (c)(2).) There is no room for a narrow construction of the exclusion clause because by its terms if Patin is included under Robert’s policy, he is excluded under his own policy.
*56Robert’s policy, in addition to certain persons described as “insureds,” covers under the uninsured motorist coverage “any other person while in or upon or entering into or alighting from” Robert’s motor vehicle “if the motor vehicle is used by the named insured or with his permission or consent, express or implied. . . .” (Ins. Code, § 11580.2, subd. (b).) Thus the real question is whether Patin, even if he had no insurance himself, could collect under Robert’s policy.
I think that the cases cited by the court compel the conclusion that Patin was “upon” Robert’s motor vehicle. The court says that the next question, which it answers in the affirmative, is “whether [Patin] was ‘using’ the car.” I am not convinced that this is the question. The statute says that Patin is covered while he is “upon” Robert’s vehicle “if the motor vehicle is used by the named insured or with his permission or consent, express or implied. . . .” (Ins. Code, § 11580.2 subd. (b).) It seems to me that Robert was using his own vehicle while he sat in it conversing with Patin. Under the principle of broad construction of coverage provisions, I think it is unnecessary to determine whether Patin was using Robert’s motor vehicle.
The result which I think is compelled by the statute is in my opinion unfair. Suppose Robert and his wife had been occupying Robert’s automobile while Patin was conversing with them. Suppose that Patin, Robert and Robert’s wife were injured, each in the amount of $15,000. Each would receive only $10,000. (Darrah v. California State Automobile Assn. (1968) 259 Cal.App.2d 243 [66 Cal.Rptr. 374].) Robert is thus deprived of the full coverage for which he has paid insurance premiums.
Patin is no better off than if he had not had uninsured motorist coverage. He gets nothing from his own policy. And if Patin had carried uninsured motorist coverage in the amount of $150,000 for one person, and if he had been damaged in the sum of $100,000, he would nevertheless recover only under Robert’s policy which is limited to $15,000. But if fortuitously Robert had not carried uninsured motorist coverage (and he is not required by law to do so), then Patin would have received the proceeds of his policy for which he paid the premiums.