Bruce Levine v. Employers Ins. Co. of Wausau

Levine v. Employers Insurance Co. of Wausau: Court Limits Insurance Coverage for Rental Vehicles

This case involved a dispute over insurance coverage after workers were injured in an accident while driving a rented Penske truck for their employer, Employers Insurance Co. of Wausau. The injured workers, led by Bruce Levine, argued that their employer's insurance policy should cover them under uninsured/underinsured motorist protection, even though they were driving a rental truck rather than a company-owned vehicle.

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the workers in April 2018. The court determined that the employer's insurance policy only provided uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage for vehicles actually owned by the company, not for rental vehicles used by employees during work activities.

This decision matters for workers because it highlights potential gaps in insurance protection when using rental vehicles for work purposes. Employees should understand that their employer's standard insurance may not cover them in rental vehicles, even when driving for work-related tasks. Workers may want to ask their employers about coverage policies for rental vehicles or consider whether additional insurance protection might be needed when work requires driving rented trucks or cars.