Grijalva v. Safeco Insurance Co. of America

This is an action for breach of an automobile insurance contract. The primary issue before this court concerns the proper method for calculating the amount of under-insured motorist (UIM) benefits payable to an individual claimant under a so-called “single-limit” policy, when other persons injured in the same accident also are seeking benefits under the policy. The trial court ruled, and the Court of Appeals agreed, that, when the individual’s damages equal or exceed the policy limit, the individual’s award should be calculated by subtracting from the policy’s UIM limit the amounts recovered…