Baker, J.
In this case, we are presented with an issue of first impression in Indiana. More particularly, appellant-defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm) asks us to join other states that have determined Uninsured Motorist (UM) insurance limits to be inadmissible. Here, a jury returned a verdict of $250,000 for appellees-plaintiffs Kimberly Earl and the Estate of Jerry Earl (collectively, “the Earls”) after Jerry was injured in a motorcycle accident through no fault of his own. State Farm argues that the trial court erred when it allowed into evidence at a jury trial the $250,000 bodily injury limit provision contained in the Earls’ insurance policy. State Farm contends that evidence of the bodily injury limit was both irrelevant and prejudicial. Determining that evidence of the bodily injury limit was in fact both irrelevant and prejudicial, we reverse and remand this cause to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
….
State Farm also argues that it was prejudiced by the introduction of the bodily injury limit in the Earls’ insurance policy. Here, the jury was presented with evidence that the coverage limit for bodily injury was $250,000. The jury awarded exactly $250,000 in damages to the Earls. The extent of Jerry’s injuries was hotly contested at trial, and it is certainly possible that, considering all of the evidence concerning Jerry’s lowered quality of life and Kimberly’s loss of his companionship, that the jury believed that the Earls were entitled to the coverage limit or more in damages. However, in light of the fact that the jury awarded precisely the coverage limit, we cannot say that the jury was unaffected by the evidence of the coverage limit. Therefore, we find that the trial court erred when it allowed the introduction of evidence concerning the bodily injury limit in the Earl’s insurance policy.
The judgment of the trial court is reversed and this cause is remanded for a new trial.
VAIDIK, C.J., concurs, and RILEY, J., dissents with opinion.
RILEY, Judge, dissenting
I respectfully disagree with the majority’s decision to reverse the jury verdict and remand for a new trial. As an issue of first impression, State Farm disputes the admissibility at trial of the bodily injury limit for UM coverage in the Earls’ policy. Specifically, relying on a relevancy argument, State Farm asserts that the UM coverage limits should be excluded because the amount of coverage is irrelevant to the issue of damages that is being decided. I disagree.
….