OLYMPIA — State Rep. Mark Ericks, D-Bothell, introduced legislation Monday, Jan. 9 to ensure that insurance companies will cover damages suffered by people who are insured but involved in auto accidents.
Ericks said the legislation was inspired by the story of Ethel Adams.
When she found herself in a five-car wreck, her insurance company said it wouldn’t cover anything. They argued that the collision — which nearly killed Adams and left her in a wheelchair — was not an accident per se because the driver who caused it had done it deliberately. The fact that he was trying to hurt someone else, who had no relationship whatsoever with Adams, didn’t make a difference to the insurer.
Eight months later, after excessive public exposure and after the state insurance commissioner demanded it pay, the insurance company finally decided to honor Adams’ policy.
“Nobody should have to experience what Ms. Adams went through,” said Ericks, Vice Chair of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee and prime sponsor of HB 2415, which defines the term “accident” as an unexpected and unintended occurrence by the insured person.
“Sometimes, obvious things have to be spelled out, that’s why we need this bill,” Ericks said. “Responsible, insured drivers need to have the peace of mind that if they are ever caught in a road wreck they didn’t intend and were certainly not expecting, their insurance company will step up to the plate.”
The Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee heard arguments on the bill on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
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