Colorado Supreme Court to Hear State Farm Policy-Disclosure Case: What Colorado Drivers Should Know

Auto Insurance

Nov 13

If another driver injures you in a crash, one of the first questions is how much insurance that driver carries. Colorado has a law that requires auto insurers to answer that question, and the Colorado Supreme Court just agreed to decide how long injured people have to sue when an insurer doesn't fully comply. Here's what the case is about and what it means for your own auto insurance in Colorado Springs.

The case: State Farm v. Weatherill

According to Colorado Politics, Joshua and Wendy Weatherill were hit by another driver in December 2020. In January 2021, their attorney asked State Farm to disclose the at-fault driver's insurance under Colorado's disclosure law. Eight days later, State Farm disclosed a $250,000 auto policy, but not a $1 million umbrella policy the driver also carried. The Weatherills didn't learn about the umbrella until October 2022, and they sued State Farm in November 2022.

A Denver district judge dismissed the suit, ruling that a one-year deadline for penalty claims had already passed. In March 2026, a Colorado Court of Appeals panel reversed. It held that the disclosure law's remedy isn't a "penalty," so the general two-year deadline applies, starting when the violation is discovered. That ruling conflicts with an earlier appeals decision, Reynolds v. Great Northern Insurance Co. (2023), which applied the one-year deadline. On November 9, 2026, the Colorado Supreme Court agreed to hear the case and settle the split. Law360 also flagged the case in its weekly insurance litigation roundup.

How Colorado's auto insurance disclosure law works

Colorado's law, C.R.S. 10-3-1117, was passed in 2019. In plain English:

Who can ask: A person who has notified an insurer of a potential claim, or that person's attorney, can send a written request to the insurer's registered agent.
What the insurer must share: For each known policy that may apply, including excess or umbrella policies, the insurer must provide its name, the names of the insured parties, the liability limits and a copy of the policy.
Deadline: 30 calendar days.
If the insurer misses it: The insurer owes the claimant $100 per day starting on day 31 until it complies, plus attorney fees and costs to enforce it.
Confidentiality: The claimant and attorney generally can't share the information, except with the claimant's own insurer.

The law also lets you, as a policyholder, request a complete copy of your own auto policy, including endorsements, in writing. Your insurer has 30 days to send it.

Why this matters for your own coverage

The Weatherill case is a reminder that the other driver's coverage may be smaller than your losses, and finding all of it can take time. Colorado's minimum liability limits are just $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for injuries, plus $15,000 for property damage. A serious injury can blow past those limits quickly. Here's how to protect yourself:

Carry uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. Colorado insurers must offer it, and you have to reject it in writing if you don't want it. UM/UIM pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough. Many drivers match their UM/UIM limits to their own liability limits.
Consider a personal umbrella policy. An umbrella adds an extra layer of liability protection, often $1 million or more, above your auto and home policies. Learn more about personal umbrella insurance in Colorado Springs.
Know your own limits. Keep a copy of your declarations page and review it at every renewal.

What happens next

The Colorado Supreme Court will decide whether claims under the disclosure law must be filed within one year or two. We'll update this post when the court rules. If you've been injured in a crash and have questions about a claim or a filing deadline, talk with a Colorado attorney. This article is general information, not legal advice.