Under a new law signed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on July 22, 2021, automobile insurers who receive a request by an attorney for disclosure of their policy limits under a private automobile insurance policy must provide those liability limits within 30 days from receipt of the request.
The disclosure must indicate the limits of all automobile insurance policies and any applicable umbrella or excess liability policies issued to the insured.
“Previously, insurance companies only had to provide that information after a lawsuit was filed,” says Eric G. Kahn, Esq., Managing Partner of Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wickstrom and Sinins, PC. “This kept injured victims of automobile accidents in the dark as to how much coverage the other driver had at the time of the accident which oftentimes affected the treatment received by the injured party and also affected how doctors treated their patients not knowing if or how much they would be paid.” The new law will also allow injured parties to more fairly attempt to try and settle their cases before a lawsuit is filed by knowing how much insurance coverage is available.