Prescriptive Period Rights To Subrogation of The Insurer

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Vicente G. Henson, Jr. vs.

UCPB General
Insurance Co., Inc.
G.R. No. 223134. August 14, 2019

With these in mind, the Court therefore sets the following guidelines relative to the
application of Vector and this Decision vis-a-vis the prescriptive period in cases
where the insurer is subrogated to the rights of the insured against the
wrongdoer based on a quasi-delict:

1. For actions of such nature that have already been filed and are currently
pending before the courts at the time of the finality of this Decision, the rules on
prescription prevailing at the time the action is filed would apply. Particularly:

(a) For cases that were filed by the subrogee-insurer during the applicability of


the Vector ruling (i.e., from Vector's finality on August 15, 201360 up until the finality
of this Decision), the prescriptive period is ten (10) years from the time of payment
by the insurer to the insured, which gave rise to an obligation created by law.

Rationale: Since the Vector doctrine was the prevailing rule at this time, issues of
prescription must be resolved under Vector's parameters.

(b) For cases that were filed by the subrogee-insurer prior to the applicability of
the Vector ruling (i.e., before August 15, 2013), the prescriptive period is four (4)
years from the time the tort is committed against the insured by the wrongdoer.

Rationale: The Vector doctrine, which espoused unique rules on legal subrogation


and prescription as aforedescribed, was not yet a binding precedent at this time;
hence, issues of prescription must be resolved under the rules prevailing
before Vector, which, incidentally, are the basic principles of legal subrogation vis-a-
vis prescription of actions based on quasi-delicts.
2. For actions of such nature that have not yet been filed at the time of the finality of
this Decision:

(a) For cases where the tort was committed and the consequent loss/injury against
the insured occurred prior to the finality of this Decision, the subrogee-insurer is
given a period not exceeding four (4) years from the time of the finality of this
Decision to file the action against the wrongdoer; provided, that in all instances, the
total period to file such case shall not exceed ten (10) years from the time the insurer
is subrogated to the rights of the insured.

Rationale: The erroneous reckoning and running of the period of prescription


pursuant to the Vector doctrine should not be taken against any and all persons
relying thereon because the same were based on the then-prevailing interpretation
and construction of the Court. Hence, subrogees-insurers, who are, effectively, only
now notified of the abandonment of Vector, must be given the benefit of the present
doctrine on subrogation as ruled in this Decision.

However, the benefit of the additional period (i.e., not exceeding four [4] years)
under this Decision must not result in the insured being given a total of more than
ten (10) years from the time the insurer is subrogated to the rights of the insured (i.e.,
the old prescriptive period in Vector); otherwise, the insurer would be able to unduly
propagate its right to file the case beyond the ten (10)-year period accorded
by Vector to the prejudice of the wrongdoer.

(b) For cases where the tort was committed and the consequent loss/injury against
the insured occurred only upon or after the finality of this Decision,
the Vector doctrine would hold no application. The prescriptive period is four (4)
years from the time the tort is committed against the insured by the wrongdoer.

Rationale: Since the cause of action for quasi-delict and the consequent subrogation of


the insurer would arise after due notice of Vector's abandonment, all persons would
now be bound by the present doctrine on subrogation as ruled in this Decision.

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