Other insurance clauses, also known as excess clauses, seem to appear in almost every case with concurrent coverage under multiple policies. This common situation presents itself when an insured is driving a car owned by a friend or family member. Each insurance policy provides coverage for the accident, but both policies will also likely contain an excess clause. So, which policy would take the lead for coverage?
Excess insurance clauses
An excess clause is any clause which attempts to make the policy in question excess if there are any other policies of insurance that would cover an accident. Ohio Courts have addressed the problem of competing excess clause policies and ruled that:
“[W]here two insurance policies cover the same risk and both provide that their liability with regard to that risk shall be excess insurance over other valid, collectible insurance, the two insurers become liable in proportion to the amount of insurance provided by their respective policies.” Buckeye Union Ins. Co. v. State Auto. Mut. Ins. Co., 49 Ohio St. 2d 213, 361 N.E.2d 1052, 1977 Ohio LEXIS 344, 3 Ohio Op. 3d 330 (Ohio 1977)
Other insurance clauses
Ohio Courts have additionally held that one company does not become a volunteer simply for paying a claim and seeking contribution from the second insurance company. This ruling was made in order to encourage one of the companies to protect the insured, and to seek recovery after the insured has been protected. So if a situation arises where two policies provide primary coverage for an accident, but for the excess clause, one company can take the lead in paying the claim and seek contribution from the other company, under the Courts ruling in Buckeye Union.
Subrogation attorneys
At Keis George, we pursue commercial and personal automobile subrogation in state and federal courts in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. Auto and uninsured motorist subrogation is a refined dynamic in which our attorneys use an aggressive methodology to interpret and apply state laws prior to fast-approaching statutory deadlines. Our subrogation attorneys simplify the filing process and exhaust all efforts to increase your recoveries. To learn more about excess clauses or to discuss how it may apply to a file you’re currently working, contact one of our subrogation attorneys.
