(a) If a suit for bodily injury has been filed against an uninsured motorist in a court of competent jurisdiction, notice in writing of the suit shall be provided the insurer of the insured plaintiff within a reasonable time after the insured knew or should have known of the uninsured status of the motorist, but in no event shall that notice be required before two years from the date of the accrual of the cause of action on which the claim is based. Failure of the insured or his or her representative to give notice shall not be a basis for denial of the uninsured motorist benefits in the absence of proof of prejudice by the insurer.

(b) The Legislature hereby finds that this section is declarative of existing law. It is the intent of the Legislature to abrogate the holdings in cases such as State Farm Mutual Auto. Ins. Co. v. Patton, 194 Cal. App. 3d 626, to the extent that they are inconsistent with this section. Those decisions are abrogated and shall not apply to any matters not final.

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(Amended by Stats. 2003, Ch. 56, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2004.)