2004 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 621 – MV, rental, insurance

HOUSE BILL NO. 621

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Bill Status



H0621...........................................................by BUSINESS
MOTOR VEHICLES - RENTAL - Amends existing law to revise provisions
applicable to insurance coverage for motor vehicles offered to the public
for temporary rental or hire.
                                                                        
02/06    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/09    Rpt prt - to Bus

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 2004
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 621
                                                                        
                                   BY BUSINESS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE; AMENDING SECTION 49-1212, IDAHO CODE,  TO
  3        REMOVE  PROVISIONS  THAT AN OWNER'S INSURANCE COVERAGE SHALL BE PRIMARY IF
  4        THE OWNER RECEIVES CERTAIN  COMPENSATION,  TO  REQUIRE  ENTITIES  OFFERING
  5        MOTOR  VEHICLES TO THE PUBLIC FOR TEMPORARY RENTAL OR HIRE TO PROVIDE LIA-
  6        BILITY INSURANCE OR SELF-INSURANCE INSURING THE RENTER  AND  OTHER  AUTHO-
  7        RIZED  OPERATORS  AGAINST  LOSS  FOR CERTAIN DAMAGES, TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH
  8        INSURANCE OR SELF-INSURANCE SHALL BE  PRIMARY  AND  THE  OPERATOR'S  MOTOR
  9        VEHICLE INSURANCE SHALL BE SECONDARY OR EXCESS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT UNLESS
 10        OTHERWISE  STATED  IN  THE  DRIVER'S POLICY, THE INSURANCE POLICY OR SELF-
 11        INSURANCE OF THE ENTITY OFFERING THE MOTOR VEHICLE FOR TEMPORARY RENTAL OR
 12        HIRE SHALL BE PRIMARY AND ANY INSURANCE OF THE RENTER OR OPERATOR SHALL BE
 13        SECONDARY OR EXCESS AS TO ANY DAMAGE TO THE RENTED OR HIRED VEHICLE.
                                                                        
 14    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 15        SECTION 1.  That Section 49-1212, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
 16    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 17        49-1212.  EXPRESSED,  PERMITTED  AND  IMPLIED  PROVISIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLE
 18    LIABILITY POLICY. (1) An owner's policy of liability insurance shall:
 19        (a)  Designate by explicit description or  by  appropriate  reference  all
 20        motor vehicles with respect to which coverage is to be granted; and
 21        (b)  Insure  the  person  named  therein and any other person, as insured,
 22        using any such described motor vehicles with the express or  implied  per-
 23        mission  of  the named insured, against loss from the liability imposed by
 24        law for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance or  use  of  the
 25        motor vehicles within the United States of America or the Dominion of Can-
 26        ada,  subject  to  limits exclusive of interest and costs, with respect to
 27        each motor vehicle, as provided in section 49-117, Idaho Code.
 28        (2)  An operator's policy of liability insurance shall insure  the  person
 29    named  as  insured therein against loss from the liability imposed upon him by
 30    law for damages arising out of the use by him of any motor vehicle  not  owned
 31    by  him,  within the same territorial limits and subject to the same limits of
 32    liability as are set forth in subsection (1) of this section with  respect  to
 33    an owner's policy of liability insurance.
 34        (3)  A  motor vehicle liability policy shall state the name and address of
 35    the named insured, the coverage afforded by the policy,  the  premium  charged
 36    therefor,  the policy period and the limits of liability, and shall contain an
 37    agreement or be indorsed that insurance is provided  in  accordance  with  the
 38    coverage  defined in this chapter as respects bodily injury and death or prop-
 39    erty damage, or both, and is subject to all the provisions of this chapter.
 40        (4)  A motor vehicle liability policy shall not insure any liability under
 41    any worker's compensation law as provided in title 72,  Idaho  Code,  nor  any
 42    liability  on  account  of  bodily  injury  to  or death of an employee of the
 43    insured while engaged in the employment, other than domestic, of the  insured,
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    or  while  engaged  in  the  operation, maintenance or repair of any described
  2    motor vehicle nor any liability for damage to property owned by, rented to, in
  3    charge of or transported by the insured.
  4        (5)  Every motor vehicle liability policy shall be subject to the  follow-
  5    ing provisions which need not be contained therein:
  6        (a)  The policy may not be canceled or annulled as to any liability by any
  7        agreement  between  the insurance carrier and the insured after the occur-
  8        rence of any injury or damage covered by the motor vehicle liability  pol-
  9        icy.
 10        (b)  Satisfaction  by the insured of a judgment for injury or damage shall
 11        not be a condition precedent to the right or duty of the insurance carrier
 12        to make payment on account of the injury or damage.
 13        (c)  The insurance carrier shall have the right to settle any  claim  cov-
 14        ered  by  the  policy,  and  if  the settlement is made in good faith, the
 15        amount shall be deductible from the limits of liability specified in  sub-
 16        section (1)(b) of this section.
 17        (d)  The  policy  and  its  written  application, if any, and any rider or
 18        indorsement which does not conflict with the provisions  of  this  chapter
 19        shall constitute the entire contract between the parties.
 20        (6)  Any  policy  which  grants  the coverage required for a motor vehicle
 21    liability policy may also grant any lawful coverage in excess of or  in  addi-
 22    tion  to  the coverage specified for a motor vehicle liability policy, and any
 23    excess or additional coverage shall not be subject to the provisions  of  this
 24    chapter.  With respect to a policy which grants an excess of additional cover-
 25    age the term "motor vehicle liability policy" shall apply only to that part of
 26    the coverage which is required by this section.
 27        (7)  Any motor vehicle liability policy may provide that the insured shall
 28    reimburse the insurance carrier for any payment the  insurance  carrier  would
 29    not  have  been obligated to make under the terms of the policy except for the
 30    provisions of this chapter.
 31        (8)  Any motor vehicle liability policy may provide for the  prorating  of
 32    the insurance with other valid and collectible insurance.
 33        (9)  The  requirements  for  a  motor vehicle liability policy may be ful-
 34    filled by the policies of one (1) or more insurance  carriers  which  policies
 35    together meet the requirements of this chapter.
 36        (10) Any  binder  issued pending the issuance of a motor vehicle liability
 37    policy shall be deemed to fulfill the requirements for such a policy.
 38        (11) When the negligent operation of a loaned vehicle results in the death
 39    or injury to a person or personal property, except for the loaned vehicle, and
 40    at the time of the negligent operation of the loaned vehicle the  operator  of
 41    the loaned vehicle is insured under a motor vehicle liability policy complying
 42    with  the financial responsibility law of this state, primary coverage for the
 43    death of or injury to a person or personal property,  except  for  the  loaned
 44    vehicle,  shall  be provided by the operator's motor vehicle liability policy.
 45    The insurance policy of the owner of the loaned vehicle shall provide  second-
 46    ary  or  excess  coverage  for  the death of or injury to a person or personal
 47    property, however the loaned vehicle owner's insurance shall  provide  primary
 48    coverage for damage to the loaned vehicle.
 49        (a)  For  the  purpose  of this subsection, "loaned vehicle" means a motor
 50        vehicle which is provided for temporary use without charge to the operator
 51        by an entity licensed under chapter 16, title 49, Idaho Code, for the pur-
 52        pose of demonstrating the vehicle to the operator as  a  prospective  pur-
 53        chaser,  or  as a convenience to the operator during the repairing or ser-
 54        vicing of a motor vehicle for the operator,  regardless  of  whether  such
 55        repair  or  service  is performed by the owner of the loaned vehicle or by
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1        some other person or business.
  2        (b)  Should the owner of a motor vehicle receive any compensation from  or
  3        on behalf of the operator for the temporary  use  of  the  motor  vehicle,
  4        excluding  any  compensation  provided  to  the  owner  as a result of the
  5        repairing or servicing of a motor vehicle for the  operator,  the  owner's
  6        insurance  coverage  shall  be  primary  and  the operator's motor vehicle
  7        insurance shall be secondary or excess.
  8        (12)  (a) An entity in the business of offering motor vehicles to the pub-
  9        lic for temporary rental or hire  shall  provide  liability  insurance  or
 10        self-insurance  insuring  the renter and all other authorized operators of
 11        such motor vehicles against loss from the liability  imposed  by  law  for
 12        damages  arising out of the rental, hire, maintenance or use of such vehi-
 13        cles in at least the amounts provided in section 49-117, Idaho Code.  Such
 14        liability  insurance or self-insurance shall be primary and the operator's
 15        motor vehicle insurance, if any, shall be secondary or excess.
 16        (b)  Unless otherwise stated in the policy of the driver, the motor  vehi-
 17        cle  insurance  policy  or  self-insurance of an entity in the business of
 18        offering motor vehicles to the public for temporary rental or  hire  shall
 19        also be primary, and any insurance of the renter or operator shall be sec-
 20        ondary or excess, as to any damage to the rented or hired vehicle.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                            RS 13824
                                
In 2000, SB1309 attempted to clarify that in car rental situations
the primary insurance coverage was to be provided by the owner of
the vehicle.  Because of the reference to Idaho Code Chapter 16,
Title 49, there is some confusion as to whether this section
applies to all rental car situations.  This bill clarifies the
original intent of SB1309.
                                   




                          FISCAL NOTE
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund or other state funds.
     
     
          

     

Contact:  Phil Barber
          State Farm Insurance
          371-8484


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                     H 621