Baker v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance

In this automobile insurance case, we decide whether an insurer may enforce an exclusion from coverage absent specific authorization for such an exclusion in a statute that required the insurer to offer such coverage.

On April 17, 1987, while driving a bus in the course of his employment, William R. Baker “pulled” the muscles in his back “when the steering on the bus locked up.” At the time of his injury, Baker was a named insured under a family automobile policy issued by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm) covering two motor vehicles. The policy contained an…