Government Employees Insurance v. Steve Sayre, Administrator of the Estate of Robert Sayre

# Court Ruling Summary: Government Employees Insurance v. Sayre Estate **What Happened:** Robert Sayre's estate filed a claim with Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) after a traffic accident. The dispute centered on whether Sayre could combine multiple underinsured motorist insurance coverages to receive higher compensation—a practice called "stacking." **What the Court Decided:** West Virginia's highest court ruled that GEICO's contract terms prohibiting stacking were valid and enforceable. This meant Sayre's estate could not combine coverage limits from different policies to increase the payout. The court sent the case back to the lower court to proceed under this ruling. **Why This Matters for Workers:** This decision affects anyone with underinsured motorist protection through GEICO or similar policies. If you're injured by someone without adequate insurance, you cannot layer multiple coverage policies together to maximize your recovery. Workers injured in traffic accidents should carefully review their insurance policy language before assuming they can stack coverage limits. Understanding these restrictions helps people plan appropriate coverage levels upfront.