Under Rule 411, which statement correctly describes when evidence of liability insurance may be admitted?

• A. To prove negligence
• B. To prove the insured's credibility
• C. To prove the insured's intent to commit a crime
• D. To prove bias or prejudice or agency, ownership, or control

Answer: (D)

Liability insurance evidence is not meant to prove fault by itself. Its admissibility is limited to specific, non-liability purposes to avoid unfair prejudice. The correct idea is that such evidence may be admitted to show a witness’s bias or prejudice, or to prove agency, ownership, or control.

For example, knowing that an insurer would stand to gain or lose from the outcome can explain why a witness might testify in a particular way, revealing potential bias. Similarly, evidence that a party or instrumentality involved in the incident is insured can help establish who has actual authority or who controls the asset at issue (agency, ownership, or control).

This is why using insurance to prove negligence is not allowed, and it doesn’t apply to proving criminal intent or to generally bolster credibility. The permitted purposes focus on mitigating unfair prejudice by clarifying relationships and potential biases.