An Everett woman’s fight with her insurer following a near-fatal car accident last spring spurred legislators Wednesday to pass a new law making it clearer when coverage is required.
Ethel Adams of Everett was an innocent victim in a road rage incident in March on Aurora Avenue N. near 185th Street in King County. A man, who was later arrested, allegedly rammed his vehicle into the rear of his girlfriend’s pickup, and the truck careened across the centerline, slamming into Adams’ car.[...]
Her insurer, an affiliate of Farmer’s Insurance, initially refused to pay her medical expenses, claiming the crash was the result of an intentional act, and not an accident. Insurers are only required to pay bills incurred from accidents. The firm later relented.
Legislation passed 96-0 Wednesday by the House of Representatives revises the definition of an accident to include any occurrence that is unexpected and unintended from the view of the person with the coverage. The bill, dubbed “Ethel’s Law,” was sent to the Senate for action.
You know, while I have argued in other posts that the insurance industry isn’t quite as evil as some of its critics argue…the background of stories like this one make my job all the more difficult.
Of course the victim in this case should have been indemnified! To the extent that there was a question about whether this was actually insurable…well, that’s why subrogation rights exist.