In the case of Fetisov v. Vigilant Insurance Co., several members of the Detroit Red Wings were hurt in a 1997 limousine crash after a party celebrating their team’s Stanley Cup victory. Serious injuries (including disabling brain injuries) resulted to some of the players. The limousine company paid its policy limits and the players won an arbitration award for $200,000,000.
To collect that judgment, the players went after the NHL’s insurer and held that its policy covered the loss. The insurer disclaimed and held that its policy only provided coverage if the driver’s permissive use came from the NHL team — which was not the case here. The trial court disagreed and sided with the insurer. After several appeals, NJ’s Supreme Court has again refused to reconsider the trial court’s ruling.