DocketNumber: No. CV95 32 76 91 S
Citation Numbers: 1996 Conn. Super. Ct. 3903
Judges: HAUSER, JUDGE
Filed Date: 4/12/1996
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 4/18/2021
On January 5, 1996, the defendant filed a motion to cite in as party defendant the alleged tortfeasor, Elease Williams, and her, insurance carrier, United States Fidelity Guaranty Company (USFG). The motion alleges that the plaintiff gave a police officer at the scene of the accident the license plate number of a CT Page 3904 motor vehicle owned by Williams and insured by USFG as the license plate of the vehicle that struck his vehicle. The defendant claims that the policy it issued to the plaintiff requires exhaustion of liability before uninsured motorist coverage is triggered.
On January 24, 1996, the plaintiff filed an objection to the motion to cite in. The plaintiff claims that USFG denied coverage in a letter dated September 26, 1995 (Exhibit 1 to the objection), and that once the tortfeasor's insurance carrier denies coverage, uninsured motorist coverage is triggered. The plaintiff contends that it should not be forced to challenge USFG's disclaiming liability. He argues that if the tortfeasor's insurance company does not have a legitimate basis for disclaiming liability, then it; is the responsibility of the defendant to subsequently exercise its rights of subrogation against USFG for wrongfully denying liability. The plaintiff also claims that the defendant cannot join an insurance carrier of a tortfeasor in the action as it is; against the policy of the state.
General Statutes §
Premised on information contained within the police report of this accident, the defendant seeks to cite in Elease Williams, the owner of the vehicle that struck the plaintiff, and USFG, William's liability insurance carrier.
General Statutes §
"`[A]n insured may make a successful claim under the uninsured motorist provisions of a policy upon proof that the tortfeasor is uninsured, or that liability under the tortfeasor's insurance policy have been exhausted.' Fusek v. Jabef,
The plaintiff claims that USFG denied coverage because Williams denied liability and this constitutes an exhaustion of coverage under the tortfeasor's policy. However, without a determination of whether Williams is a liable tortfeasor to the accident, the imposition of uninsured motorist liability on the plaintiff would be inconsistent with the policy of exhaustion promulgated by General Statutes §
Nevertheless, USFG, as the tortfeasor's insurance carrier, cannot be a party defendant to the action. While evidence that USFG denied liability may be admissible and of probative value, it is the policy of this state that "[g]enerally, in negligence actions, evidence that the defendant carries liability insurance is inadmissible." Magnon v. Glickman,
Accordingly, the defendants' motion to cite in Elease Williams is granted and its motion to cite in USFG is denied. CT Page 3906
LAWRENCE L. HAUSER, JUDGE