Ins. Co. of North Am. v. Perry, 134 S.E.2d 418 (Va. 1964). · Go Syfert
Ins. Co. of North Am. v. Perry, 134 S.E.2d 418 (Va. 1964). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
192 citation events (66 in the last 25 years) across 28 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Bratton v. Selective Ins. Co. of Am. (va, 2015-09-17) · Strongest negative: Gardner v. Continental Western (ca10, 2000-02-01)
Treatment trajectory · 1966 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1966 1996 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 25 distinct citers.
discussed Cited "but see" Gardner v. Continental Western
10th Cir. · 2000 · signal: but see · confidence high
Co. v. Campos, 582 N.E.2d 865, 867 (Ind. Ct. App. 1991) (tow truck operator injured while engaged in activity essential to towing process was using vehicle); Thibodeaux v. Burton, 538 So. 2d 1001, 1004-05 (La. 1989) (construction worker working in road and utilizing truck with flashing yellow sign was using vehicle); but see Insurance Co. of North America v. Perry, 134 S.E.2d 418 (Va. 1964) (police officer who left vehicle to serve warrant not using vehicle when injured).
examined Cited as authority (rule) Bratton v. Selective Ins. Co. of Am. (5×) also: Cited "see"
Va. · 2015 · confidence medium
See also Simpson, 279 Va. at 701 -02 , 692 S.E.2d at 248 (a deputy sheriff was not "using" or "occupying" his cruiser after stepping a few feet away from it to make an arrest); Perry, 204 Va. at 838 , 134 S.E.2d at 421 (a police officer was not "using" his police cruiser at the time of the accident because he parked it and walked 164 feet away to serve a warrant).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Butzberger v. Foster
Wash. · 2004 · confidence medium
Id. at 421.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Butzberger v. Foster
Wash. · 2004 · confidence medium
Id. at 421.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Slagle v. Hartford Ins. Co. of the Midwest (2×)
Va. · 2004 · confidence medium
See Newman, 256 Va. at 503 , 507 S.E.2d at 349 (injured child crossing street to board school bus); Edwards, 256 Va. at 130 , 500 S.E.2d at 819-20 (injured person changed flat tire and intended to drive car to service station); Randall, 255 Va. at 63 , 496 S.E.2d at 54-55 (injured highway worker drove employer’s truck to place closure signs along highway work site); Parker, 250 Va. at 376 , 463 S.E.2d at 465 (injured landscape gardener drove company truck to work site); Cassell, 239 Va. at 422 , 389 S.E.2d at 476 (injured firefighter traveled to scene of fire in fire pump truck); Perry, 204 …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Butzberger v. Foster
Wash. Ct. App. · 2002 · confidence medium
Co. of N. Am. v. Perry, 204 Va. 833 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 421 (1964) (illustrates geographical proximity and vehicle orientation prongs: police officer 164 feet away from his parked car and “engaged in the act of serving a warrant” when he was struck by an uninsured motorist was not covered). 194 Ark. 817 , 109 S.W.2d 928 (1937).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Mau v. North Dakota Insurance Reserve Fund (2×)
Wis. · 2001 · confidence medium
Co. of N. Am. v. Perry, 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (Va. 1964)). ¶ 20.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Newman v. Erie Insurance Exchange (2×)
Va. · 1998 · confidence medium
In reaching this conclusion, we stated that our holding was governed by our prior decisions in Insurance Company v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964), and United States Fire Ins.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Edwards v. Government Employees Insurance
Va. · 1998 · confidence medium
Co., 255 Va. 62, 65 , 496 S.E.2d 54, 55 (1998); Insurance Co. of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 838 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 421 (1964).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Randall v. Liberty Mutual Insurance
Va. · 1998 · confidence medium
Insurance Company of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 837-38 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 421 (1964).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Stern v. THE CINCINNATI INS. CO. (2×)
Va. · 1996 · confidence medium
Insurance Company v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964) (decided under prede: cessor statute).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Bryan v. USAA Casualty Insurance Co.
Fla. Dist. Ct. App. · 1996 · confidence medium
A member of this class is protected, ‘while in a motor vehicle or otherwise.’ Insurance Co. of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Hill (2×)
Va. · 1994 · confidence medium
The General Assembly, in enacting the uninsured motorist statute, “intended to create two classes of insured persons, with different benefits accruing to each class.” Insurance Co. of N. Am. v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Starr v. State Farm Fire & Casualty Co.
W. Va. · 1992 · confidence medium
For example, in Insurance Company of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964), the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals concluded that in enacting a virtually identical statute, the legislature had “intended to create two classes of insured persons, with different benefits accruing to each class.” Although the case did not involve a stacking issue, the court stated: “[WJhile the legislature provided for coverage to the named insured and the specified members of his household, ‘while in a motor vehicle or otherwise’, it expressly omitted the use of this langu…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) ca4 1990
4th Cir. · 1990 · confidence medium
The Court stated: 12 It is our opinion that, as to a permissive user of an insured vehicle, the legislature intended, in the uninsured motorist statute, to provide protection against an injury which occurs to one while using such vehicle. 13 Insurance Co. of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 838 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 421 (1964).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Bray v. Insurance Co. of Pennsylvania
4th Cir. · 1990 · confidence medium
Insurance Co. of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 838 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 421 (1964).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Cutter v. Maine Bonding & Casualty Co.
N.H. · 1990 · confidence medium
App. 3d 84, 88 , 283 N.E.2d 324, 327-28 (1972); Insurance Company of North America v. Perry Adm’r, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Claytor v. Va. Farm Bureau Mutual Ins.
Chesterfield Cir. Ct. · 1987 · confidence medium
In Insurance Company of North America v. Perry’s Adm., 204 Va. 833, 837 (1964), a Norfolk policeman was walking toward his City of Norfolk police cruiser after serving a warrant when he was struck and killed by an uninsured vehicle.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Shelton
Va. · 1983 · confidence medium
However, the classification of insureds set out in Code § 38.1-380.1 and defined in Coverage F is essentially equivalent to that defined in Code § 38.1-381(c) 2 respecting uninsured motorist coverage, and we look for guidance to our decisions in cases involving such coverage. “[T]he legislature, in enacting the uninsured motorist statute, intended to create two classes of insured persons, with different benefits accruing to each class.” Insurance Company v. Perry, Adm’r, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Thompson v. United Services Automobile Ass'n
Tex. App. · 1980 · confidence medium
Insurance Company of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Allstate Insurance Company v. Meeks
Va. · 1967 · confidence medium
On the contrary, the coverage extends to him while he is “in a motor vehicle,” that is, in any motor vehicle, “or otherwise.” Under the next language of subsection (c) the term “insured” includes “any person who uses, with the consent, expressed or implied, of the named insured, the motor vehicle to which the policy applies and a guest in such motor vehicle to which the policy applies.” Here coverage to a permissive user and a guest is limited to the use of the “vehicle to which the policy applies.” This interpretation is in accord with our holding in Insurance Company of N…
cited Cited "see" Smallwood v. Builders Mutual Insurance Company
E.D. Va. · 2024 · signal: see · confidence high
See id.
discussed Cited "see" Nationwide Mutual Insurance v. Smelser (2×)
Va. · 2002 · signal: see · confidence high
See Insurance Co. of N. Am. v. Perry, 204 Va. 833, 836 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 420 (1964).
discussed Cited "see" White v. Wideman (2×)
vacc · 1997 · signal: see · confidence high
See Insurance Co. of North Am. v. Perry, Adm’r., 204 Va. 833 , 134 S.E.2d 418 (1964); Cunningham, Adm’x. v. Insurance Co. of North Am., 213 Va. 72 , 189 S.E.2d 832 (1972); Stone v. Liberty Mutual Ins.
examined Cited "see, e.g." Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. v. McMichael (3×)
Colo. · 1995 · signal: see also · confidence low
Co. v. Gilbert, 124 Idaho 953 , 866 P.2d 976, 983-84 (1994) (motorist’s use of his automobile as a barricade to block a bicyclist’s avenue of movement was not a use reasonably related to the car’s inherent nature as a vehicle); see also Insurance Co. of North America v. Perry, 204 Va. 833 , 134 S.E.2d 418, 421 (1964) (police officer who left police car to serve warrant was not using car at time of accident).
Insurance Company of North America
v.
Carl Perry, Admr., Etc., Et Al.
Record 5660.
Supreme Court of Virginia.
Jan 20, 1964.
134 S.E.2d 418
Allan S. Reynolds (White, Ryan & Reynolds, on brief), for the plaintiff in error., Stanley E. Sacks and Robert B. Kendall (Sacks, Sacks & Kendall, on brief), for the defendants in error.
Eggleston, Spratley, Snead, Anson, Carrico.
Cited by 60 opinions  |  Published
[*834] Carrico, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

This controversy arose when Carl Perry, Administrator of the estate of William Peterson, deceased, filed a motion for judgment against Robert C. Teabout, seeking damages for the death of Peterson allegedly caused by the negligent operation of an automobile by Teabout.

It was asserted in the motion for judgment that Teabout was an uninsured motorist and that Insurance Company of North America was liable to the administrator under the uninsured motorist provisions of an automobile liability insurance policy issued by the company to the city of Norfolk, by whom Peterson was employed, at the time of his death, as a police officer. A copy of the motion for judgment was served on the insurance company.

Thereafter, the insurance company filed a motion for declaratory judgment seeking a construction of the provisions of the policy and a determination of the rights of the parties.

The issues raised by the motion for declaratory judgment were submitted to the trial court on a stipulation of facts. In a memorandum opinion and in the final order, the court ruled that Peterson was, at the time of his death, an insured under the policy and that the uninsured motorist coverage of the policy was available to the administrator. The insurance company was granted a writ of error.

The stipulation of facts shows that on March 17, 1962, Peterson was on duty as a police officer for the city of Norfolk. Accompanied by a fellow policeman, Officer Debold, he drove a city-owned police cruiser to the Virginia Beach boulevard area of the city to serve a warrant. He parked the cruiser, placed its keys in his pocket and, with Officer Debold, walked along the roadway to a point 164 feet away from the police cruiser. He was there struck by the automobile operated by Teabout.

The police cruiser operated by Peterson was covered by the policy issued by the insurance company to the city of Norfolk as the named insured. The policy contained an uninsured motorist endorsement with the following provisions which are here pertinent:

“In consideration of the payment of the premium for this endorsement, the company agrees with the named insured, subject to the limits of liability, exclusions, conditions and other terms of this endorsement and to the applicable terms of the policy:
[*835] “Insuring Agreements
“ I. Damages for Bodily Injury and Property Damage Caused by Uninsured Automobiles
“To pay all sums which the insured or his legal representative shall be legally entitled to recover as damages from the owner or operator of an uninsured automobile because of:
“(a) bodily injury, sickness or disease, including death resulting therefrom, hereinafter called ‘bodily injury’, sustained by the insured;
“(b) injury to or destruction of an insured automobile and and its contents, hereinafter called ‘property damage’; “caused by accident and arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of such uninsured automobile.
“ II. Definitions
“(a) Insured. The unqualified word‘insured’means “ (1) the named insured;
“(2) any person while occupying an insured automobile;”
“(e) Occupying. The word ‘occupying’ means in or upon or entering into or alighting from.”

The uninsured motorist endorsement was placed on the policy pursuant to the requirements of Code, § 38.1-381 (b). This Code section provides that no policy or contract of insurance shall be issued or delivered unless it contains an endorsement or provisions undertaking to pay the insured all sums, within prescribed limits, which he shall be legally entitled to recover as damages from the owner or operator of an uninsured motor vehicle.

Code, § 38.1-381 (c) defines the term “insured” as:

“ . . . . the named insured and, while resident of the same household, the spouse of any such named insured, and relatives of either, while in a motor vehicle or otherwise, and any person who uses, with the consent, expressed or implied, of the named insured, the motor vehicle to which the policy applies and a guest in such motor vehicle to which the policy applies or the personal representative of any of the above .... ”

The sole question to be determined is whether Peterson, at the time and under the circumstances of the fatal accident, was an insured[*836] under the provisions of the policy when read in the light of the uninsured motorist statute.

It is our opinion that the legislature, in enacting the uninsured motorist statute, intended to create two classes of insured persons, with different benefits accruing to each class.

The first class includes the named insured and, while resident of the same household, the spouse of any such named insured, and relatives of either. A member of this class is protected, “while in a motor vehicle or otherwise”, and is conceded by the insurance company to be entitled to coverage if injured while a pedestrian.

The insurance company contends,, however, that Peterson was not a member of this class. The administrator, on the other hand, contends that Peterson was the named insured because, (1) the insuring agreements of the policy undertook to pay the insured or “his legal representative” for the damages caused by an uninsured motorist; that Peterson was a legal representative of the city and entitled, therefore, to the coverage as the named insured; (2) the- city could not fall victim to bodily injury or death, against which the policy insured, but only the city’s agents, servants and employees could be subject thereto, and that Peterson, as an employee of the city, should be deemed, therefore, to have been the named insured.

We are not persuaded that Peterson was the named insured on the ground that he was a “legal representative” of the city. While he was authorized to represent the city in police matters in the course of his official duties, he was not its “legal representative” with respect to its rights and duties under the policy. Moreover, the language of other portions of the uninsured motorist endorsement shows clearly that the term was intended to mean a person acting in event of the incapacity or death of one entitled to make a claim under the policy.

Nor can we agree that Peterson, because of his status as an employee of the city, was the named insured,, either under the wording of the policy or the language of the statute. The policy before us clearly states that the city of Norfolk is the named insured. The court cannot substitute the name of each of the many employees of the city in place of that of the city as the named insured and thus stretch the coverage of the policy to include each such employee and all of the members of his household specified in the statute. To do so would be to rewrite the policy, to make a new contract for the parties and to distort the meaning of the statute. This would extend the benefits granted and broaden the risks imposed to a degree[*837] obviously never contemplated by the parties to the insurance contract nor intended by the legislature.

The proper construction of the uninsured motorist endorsement of the policy, read in the light of the statute, so far as is here pertinent, is that the city is insured against damage to its property resulting from the negligence of uninsured motorists and that those who use, with permission, or occupy its insured vehicles are insured against damages for bodily injury or death, resulting from the negligence of such uninsured motorists.

This brings us to a consideration of the second class of insured persons contemplated by the statute, that is, those “who use”, with the consent, expressed or implied, of the named insured, the vehicle to which the policy applies and those who are guests in such vehicle. The insurance company concedes that had Peterson been operating or occupying the cruiser when he was killed, he would have been covered by the policy.

The insurance company contends, however, that Peterson was not operating or occupying the insured vehicle at the time of the accident and was not,, therefore, entitled to coverage. The administrator asserts, on the other hand, that because Peterson was killed during the period of his permissive use of the cruiser, he was one “who uses” the insured vehicle, in the language of the statute, and thus entitled to coverage even though he was not operating or occupying the vehicle.

It is true that the legislature, in enacting the statute, employed the words, “any person who uses”, rather than, “any person while using”, in describing one in the second class who is entitled to coverage. And it is also true that the words so employed, standing alone and without relation to the remaining portions of the statute, might indicate that it was intended that coverage should be granted during the entire period of permissive use whether or not such person was then using the vehicle.

But it is of crucial importance to note that while the legislature provided for coverage to the named insured and the specified members of his household, “while in a motor vehicle or otherwise”, it expressly omitted the use of this language with relation to one “who uses” the insured vehicle with permission. Had it been the intent of the legislature to afford the same protection to both classes, it could easily have achieved this result by placing the phrase,, “while in a motor vehicle or otherwise” in a different position in the statute[*838] or merely by repeating it when prescribing the rights of the permissive user.

It is our opinion that, as to a permissive user of an insured vehicle, the legislature intended, in the uninsured motorist statute, to provide protection against an injury which occurs to one while using such vehicle.

See Note, Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Virginia, by Collins Denny III, 47 Va. Law Review 145, at pp. 156, 157.

In the case before us, Peterson met his death when he was on foot, 164 feet away from the parked cruiser, engaged in the act of serving a warrant. Under these circumstances, we hold, as a matter of law, that Peterson’s fatal injury did not occur while he was using the police cruiser. He was not then an insured under the policy. He was not then under the canopy of the coverage provided by the statute.

Accordingly, the judgment of the trial court will be reversed and set aside and a final order will be entered here declaring that the uninsured motorist coverage of the policy issued by Insurance Company of North America to the city of Norfolk is not available to Carl Perry, Administrator of the estate of William Peterson, deceased.

Reversed and final judgment.