The Second Department determined the relevant supplemental uninsured/underinsured motorist (SUM) provisions of appellant's policy were unambiguous and limited recovery for the death of appellant's daughter to a total of $50,000. Appellant argued the policy allowed recovery of the $50,000 limit, despite recovery of $50,000 under the tortfeasor's policy:
Based upon the … provisions of the policy, the Supreme Court properly found that the $50,000 recovered by the appellant from the tortfeasor was equivalent to the maximum SUM limit provided for in the policy. Therefore, the appellant had no possibility of an additional recovery, which rendered her SUM claim academic … . The language of the SUM endorsement was not ambiguous and must be enforced … . Matter of Ameriprise Auto & Home Ins. Co. v Savio, 2016 NY Slip Op 02358, 2nd Dept 3-30-16
INSURANCE LAW (SUPPLEMENTAL UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST PROVISIONS WERE UNAMBIGUOUS, RECOVERY LIMITED TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT RECOVERED UNDER THE TORTFEASOR'S POLICY AND $50,000, HERE THE DIFFERENCE WAS ZERO)/SUPPLEMENATAL UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST (SUM) COVERAGE (SUPPLEMENTAL UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST PROVISIONS WERE UNAMBIGUOUS, RECOVERY LIMITED TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT RECOVERED UNDER THE TORTFEASOR'S POLICY AND $50,000, HERE THE DIFFERENCE WAS ZERO)/CONTRACT LAW (INSURANCE POLICY, SUPPLEMENTAL UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED MOTORIST PROVISIONS WERE UNAMBIGUOUS, RECOVERY LIMITED TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNT RECOVERED UNDER THE TORTFEASOR'S POLICY AND $50,000, HERE THE DIFFERENCE WAS ZERO)