What if an insured is killed while committing a burglary? Is that covered in the policy as an accident? A 1997, Dallas Court of Appeals opinion responds to this question. The opinion is styled, Grant v. Group Life & Health Insurance Company. Grant used a pry bar to break into…
Is it suicide or an accident? Here is a 1998, Austin Court of Appeals opinion styled, Butler v. Group Life And Health Insurance Company discussing this topic. During a social occasion, the decedent and a number of his friends picked up an unloaded gun, and began to point the gun…
Here is a 1999 case where the named beneficiary of a life insurance policy alleges the insured was not competent to cancel the policy. The opinion is from the United State Northern District of Texas. It is styled, Benbow v. All American Life Insurance Company, et al. All American Life…
Here is a 1994 opinion dealing with the Texas Slayer Statute. The opinion is from the 14th Court of Appeals and is styled, Adams v. Aetna Life Insurance Company. The insured was murdered in 1986. Her husband was initially suspected of the murder, but was cleared by the county sheriff’s…
Here is a 1997, Waco Court of Appeals opinion that discusses an issue related to changes to the named beneficiary because of “undue influence.” T.J. Clark could not read or write. He relied upon Cobb, his wife’s niece, to take care of his financial affairs for over 20 years. Clark’s…
What happens if the beneficiary of a policy does not have an insurable interest in the life of the insured? Is the policy still valid? If not, who gets the life insurance proceeds? Here is a 1998 opinion from the Tyler Court of Appeals that addresses this issue. The opinion…
Failure to provide written notice of a claim to life insurance proceeds can prove fatal to being able to receive those proceeds. This is what happened in the 1995, Fort Worth Court of Appeals opinion styled, Hunt v. Jefferson-Pilot Life Insurance Co. Jefferson Pilot issued a life insurance policy on…
Here’s a case dealing with when a beneficiary designation was filed. It is a 1995, opinion from the Eastland Court of Appeals and is styled, Maris v. McCraw. When Maris died in 1987, per personnel file did not contain a written beneficiary designation form designating any person as the beneficiary…
There are times when life insurance claims can be complicated by a divorce. This is illustrated in a 1997, Amarillo Court of Appeals opinion styled Sever v. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. The issue in this case was whether the oral redesignation of beneficiary after a divorce redesignating the former…
It happens frequently. An insured person changes the beneficiary of their life insurance policy. Here is a 1997, Waco Court of Appeals opinion discussing this event. The opinion is styled, Cobb v. Justice. Here are the facts. T.J. Clark could not read or write. He relied upon Cobb, his wife’s…