In a Contract of Adhesion, any ambiguity is construed in favor of which party?

In a Contract of Adhesion, any ambiguity within the contract is construed in favor of the insured. This principle is grounded in the idea that such contracts are typically drafted by one party (usually the insurer) and offered to the other party (the insured) on a "take it or leave it" basis. Since the insurer holds greater power in drafting the terms and conditions, any unclear language or provisions that may be interpreted in multiple ways will be viewed from the perspective that favors the insured, who had less opportunity to negotiate terms or clarify language.

The reason this approach protects the insured is to ensure they are not unfairly disadvantaged by potentially misleading terms or stipulations that they did not fully understand or that were not adequately explained. This doctrine helps to maintain fairness in contractual relationships between parties of unequal bargaining power, ensuring that the parties with less negotiation leverage (typically the insured in insurance contracts) receive the benefit of the doubt in cases of uncertainty.