Colorado CRS 10-4-609 Update...

As to insurance policies issued or renewed after January 1, 2008, CRS Section 10-4-609 was changed to permit the injured party to make a claim not only against the wrongdoer but also against the injured party's own insurance with underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) regardless of the dollar limits of the liability coverage or of the injured party's own UIM dollar limits. This means in the insurance industry all applicable insurance policies must be allowed to "stack".

C.R.S 10-4-609.

Insurance protection against uninsured motorists - applicability.

(1) (a) No automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policy insuring against loss resulting from liability imposed by law for bodily injury or death suffered by any person arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to any motor vehicle licensed for highway use in this state unless coverage is provided therein or supplemental thereto, in limits for bodily injury or death set forth in section 42-7-103 (2), C.R.S., under provisions approved by the commissioner, for the protection of persons insured thereunder who are legally entitled to recover damages from owners or operators of uninsured Motor Vehicle because of bodily injury, sickness, or disease, including death, resulting therefrom; except that the named insured may reject such coverage in writing.

(b) This subsection (1) shall not apply to motor vehicle rental agreements or motor vehicle rental companies.

(c) The coverage described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) shall be in addition to any legal liability coverage and shall cover the difference, if any, between the amount of the limits of any legal liability coverage and the amount of the damages sustained, excluding exemplary damages, up to the maximum amount of the coverage obtained pursuant to this section. A single policy or endorsement for uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle coverage issued for a single premium covering multiple vehicles may be limited to applying once per accident. The amount of the coverage available pursuant to this section shall not be reduced by a setoff from any other coverage, including, but not limited to, legal liability insurance, medical payments coverage, health insurance, or other uninsured or underinsured motor vehicle insurance.

(2) Before the policy is issued or renewed, the insurer shall offer the named insured the right to obtain uninsured motorist coverage in an amount equal to the insured's bodily injury liability limits, but in no event shall the insurer be required to offer limits higher than the insured's bodily injury liability limits.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (2) of this section, after selection of limits by the insured or the exercise of the option not to purchase the coverages described in this section, no insurer nor any affiliated insurer shall be required to notify any policyholder in any renewal or replacement policy, as to the availability of such coverage or optional limits. However, the insured may, subject to the limitations expressed in this section, make a written request for additional coverage or coverage more extensive than that provided on a prior policy.

(4) Uninsured motorist coverage shall include coverage for damage for bodily injury or death that an insured is legally entitled to collect from the owner or driver of an underinsured motor vehicle. An underinsured motor vehicle is a land motor vehicle, the ownership, maintenance, or use of which is insured or bonded for bodily injury or death at the time of the accident.

(5) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2007, p. 1921, § 2, effective January 1, 2008.)

Colorado Revised Statutes are made available for public use by the Committee on Legal Services of the Colorado General Assembly. The statutes are copyrighted by the state of Colorado (please see §2-5-115, C.R.S and §2-5-118, C.R.S..).