Blevins v. Government Employees Ins. Co.

250 P.3d 227, 226 Ariz. 450, 604 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 17, 2011 Ariz. App. LEXIS 35
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedMarch 24, 2011
Docket1 CA-CV 10-0272
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 250 P.3d 227 (Blevins v. Government Employees Ins. Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Blevins v. Government Employees Ins. Co., 250 P.3d 227, 226 Ariz. 450, 604 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 17, 2011 Ariz. App. LEXIS 35 (Ark. Ct. App. 2011).

Opinion

250 P.3d 227 (2011)

Michael BLEVINS, Plaintiff/Appellee,
v.
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant/Appellant.

No. 1 CA-CV 10-0272.

Court of Appeals of Arizona, Division 1, Department C.

March 24, 2011.

*228 Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C. by Eileen Dennis GilBride, Jennifer Erickson, Sanford K. Gerber, Phoenix, Attorneys for Defendant/Appellant.

Palumbo Wolfe by Scott I. Palumbo, Phoenix, and Treon Aguirre Newman & Norris, P.C. by Brett L. Slavicek, Phoenix, Attorneys for Plaintiff/Appellee.

OPINION

PORTLEY, Judge.

¶ 1 We are asked to decide whether Arizona Revised Statutes ("A.R.S.") section 20-259.01(B) (Supp. 2010) requires that an insured sign a form rejecting underinsured motorist ("UIM") coverage. Because the statute does not require a signed form, we reverse the summary judgment granted to Michael Blevins and remand this matter to the trial court with instructions to enter summary judgment for Government Employees Insurance Company ("GEICO").

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶ 2 Blevins purchased auto insurance from GEICO in August 2006. His insurance policy indicated that he purchased liability coverage but rejected UIM coverage.[1]

*229 ¶ 3 Blevins was injured in a January 2008 auto accident. After he settled with the other driver, he submitted a claim to GEICO because the other driver was underinsured. GEICO denied his claim.

¶ 4 Blevins then sued GEICO for a declaratory judgment, breach of contract, and bad faith. After both parties moved for partial summary judgment on the declaratory judgment issue, the trial court granted Blevins summary judgment. The parties then settled the remaining claims, and GEICO appealed after the final judgment was entered. The only issue on appeal is whether Blevins is entitled to UIM coverage pursuant to § 20-259.01(B).

DISCUSSION

¶ 5 Summary judgment is appropriate when no genuine issue of material fact exists and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Ariz. R. Civ. P. 56(c). We independently determine whether any issue of material fact exists and whether the court properly applied the law. Prince v. City of Apache Junction, 185 Ariz. 43, 45, 912 P.2d 47, 49 (App.1996). Because the burden is on the party requesting summary judgment, the evidence and all reasonable inferences that follow are construed in favor of the opposing party. Nat'l Bank of Ariz. v. Thruston, 218 Ariz. 112, 116, ¶ 17, 180 P.3d 977, 981 (App.2008). When the evidence is disputed, but a reasonable jury could only find for the plaintiff or defendant, the court should uphold a grant of summary judgment. Orme Sch. v. Reeves, 166 Ariz. 301, 309, 802 P.2d 1000, 1008 (1990).

I. Blevins' Motion for Summary Judgment

¶ 6 The key issue is whether § 20-259.01(B) requires that an insurer obtain a written rejection of UIM coverage from an insured. The relevant part of the statute provides that:

Every insurer writing automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policies shall also make available to the named insured thereunder and shall by written notice offer the insured and at the request of the insured shall include within the policy underinsured motorist coverage which extends to and covers all persons insured under the policy, in limits not less than the liability limits for bodily injury or death contained within the policy. The selection of limits or rejection of coverage by a named insured or applicant on a form approved by the director shall be valid for all insureds under the policy. The completion of such form is not required where the insured purchases such coverage in an amount equal to the limits for bodily injury or death contained in the policy.

A.R.S. § 20-259.01(B).[2]

¶ 7 The first sentence of the statutory subsection requires that the insurer "both `offer' and `make available' UIM coverage." Tallent v. Nat'l Gen. Ins. Co., 185 Ariz. 266, 267, 915 P.2d 665, 666 (1996); see Ballesteros v. Am. Standard Ins. Co. of Wis., 226 Ariz. 345, 347, ¶ 8, 248 P.3d 193, 195 (2011). After the offer is made, the insured must affirmatively request the coverage. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Ash, 181 Ariz. 167, 173, 888 P.2d 1354, 1360 (App.1994); see Tallent, 185 Ariz. at 268, 915 P.2d at 667; Garcia v. Farmers Ins. Co., 191 Ariz. 410, 412, ¶ 23, 956 P.2d 537, 539 (App.1998). If the insurer does not provide the statutorily mandated offer, the insured is entitled to receive UIM coverage as a matter of law. Estate of Ball v. Am. Motorists Ins. Co., 181 Ariz. 124, 126-27, 888 P.2d 1311, 1313-14 (1995) (quoting Ins. Co. of N. Am. v. Santa Cruz, 166 Ariz. 82, 85, 800 P.2d 585, 588 (1990)).

¶ 8 GEICO presented evidence that it provided Blevins with the statutorily mandated written offer. Blevins did not controvert that fact. See Orme Sch., 166 Ariz. at 311, 802 P.2d at 1010. Moreover, it is undisputed that Blevins failed to sign the written offer or otherwise provide any written indication that he was rejecting UIM coverage.[3] GEICO *230 argues that a written rejection of UIM coverage is unnecessary; the plain language of § 20-259.01(B) only requires that the insurer provide a written offer.

¶ 9 The trial court disagreed with GEICO and granted summary judgment. Focusing on the second and third sentences of § 20-259.01(B), the court stated:

The statutory language envisions "[t]he selection of limits or rejection of coverage by a named insured or applicant on a form approved by the director." This means that, in order for coverage less than policy limits to take effect, the policyholder must affirmatively so indicate on the approved form. Significantly, the identical requirement applies both to selection of limits less than policy limits and to complete rejection.

(Alteration in original.)

¶ 10 Our decision in Ash would appear to resolve the issue. There, we considered a similar argument and held that "[t]he insurer need only make the written offer. The insured must then request that the offered coverage be included in his policy. No express rejection is required." 181 Ariz. at 173, 888 P.2d at 1360.

¶ 11 Ash, however, interpreted a prior version of § 20-259.01(B).[4] The statute was amended in 1992 and 2003. The 1992 amendment added the second sentence to § 20-259.01(B), which provides "[t]he selection of limits or rejection of coverage by a named insured . . . on a form approved by the director shall be valid." 1992 Ariz. Sess. Laws, ch. 147, § 1 (2d Reg. Sess.).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

TDB Tucson Group, L.L.C. v. City of Tucson
263 P.3d 669 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
250 P.3d 227, 226 Ariz. 450, 604 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 17, 2011 Ariz. App. LEXIS 35, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/blevins-v-government-employees-ins-co-arizctapp-2011.