Joint Tortfeasor's Right of Contribution in Overlapping Liability Insurance: A Critical Review of Supreme Court Decision of 2009. 12. 24., 2009Da42819

As indicated in the ruling at issue, the contribution right arising from the underlying torts and the right of contribution arising out of overlapping insurance coverage coexist and can be exercised simultaneously, in competition, or successively. However, once one contribution right is satisfied, the other is proportionately diminished. The decision at issue, clarifying these legal principles and providing a specific method for calculating the amount of subrogation claims, is significant as a case of first impression on these issues. This paper’s main arguments can be summarized as follows: 1. In liability insurance, it is crucial to consider concepts such as the insurable interests, the sum insured, and the amount of insurance coverage. Especially when unlimited liability insurance is one of the overlapping insurances, or when both are unlimited in liability, determining the amount to be paid respectively by the insurers, which serves as the basis for apportioning compensation liability among insurers, becomes unfeasible. 2. It is questionable whether the direct contribution rights among insurers are acquired from the subrogation of the right of insured or from the direct claim rights of the victim. The author maintains that this contribution right among the insurers arises from the internal relations among multiple obligors liable to the victim. This right therefore is sui generis. 3. The exercise of contribution rights among insurers involves separating the portion of liability attributable to the fault of the other party, and claiming the share of the overlapping insurance portion remaining after the first contribution. However, the result of the calculation remains the same, whether the proportion of overlapping insurance is applied first to the entire compensation liability or not. 4. The right of contribution concerning the torts and the right concerning overlapping insurances are independent and separate causes of action, however, they should be treated and managed in litigation process without any contradiction.