Ninth Circuit Grants a Small Reprieve to the Abuse of Discretion Standard of Review, Ruling That Discretionary Language Provisions in Self-Funded ERISA Will Apply

When litigating ERISA-governed short-term disability, long-term disability, life and medical insurance claims, a major consideration is which “standard of review” will apply to the Court’s review of the insurer’s decision – abuse of discretion or de novo.  The de novo...

Does an Insurance Company Need to Deny a Claim to be Liable for Bad Faith Damages? You May Be Surprised to Learn the Answer is “No.”

Every insurance contract is accompanied by an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, meaning that the insurer cannot “unfairly frustrate” or unreasonably “deprive” the insured of the benefits of the insurance contract. This implied covenant applies to all...

Summary Plan Descriptions Under ERISA May Do More Than Summarize Your Benefit Plan

When individuals are enrolled in a group benefit plans, they are typically provided with a “Summary Plan Description” (“SPD”) which is a document that communicates plan rights and obligations to participants and beneficiaries under their ERISA plan. While the actual...