Court Opinion

ID: 9665842
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:58:04.957128+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:19.363651
License: Public Domain

YANEZ, Justice,
concurring.
While I agree with the result in this case, I do not join the majority in its categorical affirmation of the validity of named-driver exclusions.
Under the facts of this case, I would not hold the exclusion on Graei Vela from coverage under the policy contravened the public policy of this state. Indeed, Ms. Vela was a known risk to drive because she suffered from epileptic seizures, had been advised not to drive, and did not even have a driver’s license. I agree with the majority that her specific exclusion under the policy likely served the dual purpose of enabling Mr. Toe *743to secure insurance at an affordable rate, and discouraging his entrustment of the vehicle to Ms. Vela, thereby protecting the public from a high risk driver.
The majority asserts that the named driver exclusion “treats all potential claimants equally and focuses on the potential risk. Potential drivers are given the option to exclude from coverage drivers who, by virtue of their driving history or other factors, are deemed high risk factors.”
I would simply point out that, although the facts of this ease present an excluded driver whose circumstances (epilepsy, no driver’s license, etc.) do warrant exclusion, not every conceivable exclusion furthers public policy. For example, the exclusion of a driver from a policy because of that driver’s age alone would not be valid. Such exclusion would contravene public policy in that it would discriminate against a class of drivers without necessarily referring to their own circumstances and driving history. Moreover, third parties injured in accidents where such excluded person was driving an insured’s vehicle would not be protected under the policy because of the exclusion.
In such instances, I would not find the exclusion proper, as it discriminates against a class of persons without consideration of that person’s record. Thus, I would not go as far as the majority in declaring all named driver exclusions valid, but rather would regard the exclusion on a case-by-case basis to decipher whether the exclusion was based on the particular record and circumstances of the excluded driver, or merely because of their membership in a class which is presumptively deemed high risk, such as underage drivers. To the extent that such exclusions categorically exclude members of a class from coverage without particular reasons, I would not find such exclusion valid.