Court Opinion

ID: 9729492
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 14:38:00.009369+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:25:58.906838
License: Public Domain

GARRARD, Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part
As set forth by the majority, the suit before us was initiated by a passenger (Thomas) against the driver of the car in which she was riding (Simmons), the driver of the other car involved in the collision (Koontz), and the insurance company insuring the driver of the car in which she was riding.
Under the policy provisions as outlined by the majority I quite agree that the passenger (Thomas) has no claim for uninsured motorist coverage against the driver of her car. That is because as a relative she is excluded under the liability coverage provisions of the policy, just as her driver was. Moreover, while the exclusion for relatives may be unusual, it was what the parties contracted for. I see no public policy reason to set aside the contract.
On the other hand, if the driver of the other car (Koontz) was negligently responsible for the collision and the passengers’ injuries, then Thomas would be entitled to recover under the uninsured motorist protection afforded by Simmons’ policy because that policy afforded uninsured motorist protection to the “insured” which included “any person occupying your insured car.”
I do not believe that Indiana Farmers Mut. Ins. Co. v. Speer, 407 N.E.2d 255 (Ind.Ct.App.1980) alters that result. The facts before the court in Speer were critically different because in that case the decedent wife’s estate and injured daughter were attempting to recover under the uninsured motorist provisions of an insurance policy issued to the husband on another vehicle, a vehicle that was not insured by Indiana Farmers either principally or as an additional covered vehicle. In other words, had the policy in Speer covered the vehicle operated by the wife that was involved in the collision, I believe the result would have been different.
Finally, I would determine that any resolution of the good faith claim would have been prematurely determined by the materials before the court on summary judgment, although the facts ultimately developed may well establish non-liability on that theory. That is because, in my view, any liability of Victoria depends upon resolution of the comparative fault issue that as between Simmons and Koontz, Koontz is liable for the injuries resulting from the collision. In other words, *217Victoria is liable, but only liable to the Thom-ases if and to the extent that Koontz may be found liable under comparative fault.
I concur in part and dissent in part.