Loss of Ring in Vehicle Accident

December 4, 2012

The insured is in an automobile accident in which the airbag deploys. She is making a claim for a ring she says she was wearing at the time of the accident. She is requesting coverage under the vehicle damage peril. However, the ring is nowhere to be found. We believe there is no coverage under vehicle damage. We feel this is a mysterious disappearance loss as there is no evidence of the ring.

North Carolina Subscriber

The vehicle peril is one of the broadest perils listed; there are no exceptions or exclusions that go along with it. While it may seem odd that there is no evidence of the ring, if it was loose it could have flown off and be anywhere, and likewise the metal could have been cut and the ring disappeared. It's not up to the insured to prove the peril; the carrier has to prove the exclusion, and since there are no exclusions for the vehicle peril, there is coverage. You can of course ask for receipts, but not all insured's keep receipts so if she doesn't have one that doesn't necessarily prove or disprove anything.