Reykjavik court rules Sjóvá must compensate police nearly three million krónur for vehicle damages

A Reykjavik District Court has ruled that the insurance company Sjóvá must compensate the capital area police nearly three million Icelandic krónur, along with six years of interest, for damages incurred to a police vehicle. This ruling follows an incident involving a driver who was speeding at nearly 200 kilometers per hour in the capital area back in June 2018.

The dispute arose after the individual, while being pursued by police, collided with the police vehicle, which was responding to the situation. The event occurred on June 6, 2018, when the man approached the police car with its lights flashing and horn blaring, displayed an obscene gesture, and sped away through a red traffic light.

The police initiated a pursuit that lasted across the capital area, recording the driver’s speed at 150 kilometers per hour on Bústaðavegur and reaching 170 kilometers per hour on Höfðabakkabrú. The chase concluded only after police had deliberately rammed the suspect’s vehicle twice to halt his reckless driving.

Afterwards, the police sought damages from the man’s insurance company. The claim was rooted in the precedent that insurance firms typically cover incidents where police are involved. However, Sjóvá contested the claim, arguing that police actions led to the damage, suggesting that the responsibility rested with the police for making the decision to ram the vehicle.

The judge determined that the man’s reckless driving was the primary reason for the police intervention, holding him accountable due to the significant danger he created by ignoring police commands to stop. Consequently, the judge found it appropriate for the insurance firm to cover the damages caused.