You are here: / / Plaintiff Can Not Recover Under Her Own Supplemental Uninsured/Underinsured...

Plaintiff Can Not Recover Under Her Own Supplemental Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Policy When Her Recovery Exceeded the Limit of that Policy

The Second Department explained how plaintiff’s supplemental uninsured/underinsured motorist (SUM) policy related to her recovery of damages under the policy when she, as a pedestrian, was struck by a car and recovered damages in excess of the SUM limit:

When a policyholder purchases supplemental uninsured/underinsured motorist (hereinafter SUM) coverage in New York, he or she is insuring against the risk that a tortfeasor’s underinsurance (or complete lack of insurance) will provide less protection for the policyholder than the policyholder provides to others when at fault in causing bodily injury … . SUM coverage is not a “stand-alone policy to fully compensate the insureds for their injuries” … .

Here, the respondent, who was struck by a car while walking in the street, had an automobile policy of her own. In that policy, she chose to provide coverage in the amount of $100,000 per person in the event she was at fault in causing bodily injuries. By paying for SUM coverage in the amount of $100,000 per person, she also ensured that she was protected for that same amount in the event that an uninsured or underinsured motorist caused her to sustain injuries. Although the respondent was injured, she received $400,000 from the tortfeasors, which is $300,000 more than the coverage she provided to others. Consequently, under paragraph 6 of her SUM endorsement, the amount she was entitled to recover under her SUM coverage was reduced to zero. Matter of Unitrin Auto & Home Ins Co v Gelbstein, 2013 NY Slip Op 05749, 2nd Dept 8-28-13

 

You might also like
Highest and Best Use is Measure of Damages—Unconsummated Purchase Contract Is Valid Proof of Value
Court Should Not Have Denied Biological Mother’s Petition to Enforce the Visitation Provision in a Surrender Agreement Without Making a Finding Based Upon the Best Interests of the Child—Failure to Make Such a Finding Rendered the Record Insufficient for Review—Matter Sent Back for a Hearing
HERE THE NATURE OF INFANT PLAINTIFF’S INJURIES WAS PROBATIVE OF HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED; PLAINTIFF ALLEGED DEFENDANTS’ VAN RAN OVER INFANT PLAINTIFF’S FOOT; DEFENDANTS ALLEGED INFANT PLAINTIFF WAS INJURED WHEN SHE FELL OFF HER BICYCLE; PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR A UNIFIED TRIAL ON LIABILITY AND DAMAGES SHOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED (SECOND DEPT).
42 USC 1983 AND MALICIOUS PROSECUTION CAUSES OF ACTION AGAINST THE CITY AND A POLICE OFFICER SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED (SECOND DEPT).
Judge’s Mistrial Order Precluded Retrial—Double Jeopardy
SENTENCING COURT MUST CONSIDER YOUTHFUL OFFENDER STATUS EVEN WHERE IT IS NOT REQUESTED OR WHERE DEFENDANT AGREES TO FORGO IT AS PART OF A PLEA BARGAIN (SECOND DEPT).
BANK’S PROOF OF STANDING DID NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BUSINESS RECORDS EXCEPTION TO THE HEARSAY RULE.
AT THE TIME THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION WAS COMMENCED, RPAPL 1304 REQUIRED THAT THE NOTICE OF DEFAULT INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF DAYS THE BORROWER HAD BEEN IN DEFAULT; A DISCREPENCY BETWEEN THE DATE OF THE DEFAULT IN THE 90-DAY NOTICE (JULY 2009) AND THE DATE IN THE NOTICE REQUIRED BY THE MORTGAGE AND IN THE COMPLAINT (MAY 2011) CREATED A QUESTION OF FACT WHETHER THE NOTICE WAS DEFECTIVE ON ITS FACE (SECOND DEPT). ​

Categories

Sign Up for the Mailing List to Be Notified When the Site Is Updated.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Copyright © 2026 New York Appellate Digest, Inc.
Site by CurlyHost | Privacy Policy

Criteria for Imposing Order of Protection for Longer than Two Years Based on... Criteria for Shareholder’s Derivative Action and Shareholder’s Action to...