The New Jersey insurance statutes require every motor vehicle liability policy to provide uninsured motorist coverage of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident. In addition, the law requires every insurer to offer the named insured the option to purchase uninsured and underinsured coverage up to at least $250/500,000 split limits or $500,000 single limits (not to exceed the policy’s liability limits). N.J.S.A. 17:25-1.1(e).
The statute does not specify the persons who are entitled to UM/UIM coverage; however, the standard endorsement in effect since 1989 states that coverage is available to the named insured, resident family members and occupants of the insured vehicle. Thus, an occupant (driver or passenger) in someone else’s car (the host vehicle) could receive UIM coverage under multiple policies — the host vehicle (as an occupant), a personal policy (as the named insured) and a family policy (as a resident relative).
