Union Insurance Company V. Houtz

We granted certiorari to review an order by the court of appeals in Houtz v. Union Insurance Co., 865 P.2d 847 (Colo. App. 1993), which reversed summary judgment in favor of Union Insurance Company (Union). The court of appeals held that Richard Houtz (Houtz) and Robert Jeffrey Etheridge (Etheridge) (the insureds) were entitled to $300,000 from Union, an amount representing the limit of liability under Union's uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage. We hold that the insureds are entitled to $60,000 in UM/UIM motorist coverage, in accordance with the unambiguous language in Union's policy. We further hold that Union's method of calculating underinsurance benefits, by aggregating amounts received by both injured insureds, does not violate public policy. We therefore reverse the judgment of the court of appeals and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.