Dike v. Penn Ins. & Annuity Co.

295 F. Supp. 3d 530
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedJanuary 10, 2018
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 17–1410
StatusPublished

This text of 295 F. Supp. 3d 530 (Dike v. Penn Ins. & Annuity Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dike v. Penn Ins. & Annuity Co., 295 F. Supp. 3d 530 (E.D. Pa. 2018).

Opinion

Baylson, District Judge

In this case, Plaintiff David Dike ("Dike") alleges that Defendant Penn Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("PIA") committed various torts and statutory violations in the course of Dike's relationship with PIA as a PIA life insurance policyholder. Specifically, Dike alleges negligence, fraud, violations of the Texas Insurance Code, and violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Presently before the Court is Defendant's Motion to Dismiss all of Dike's claims. Dike's claims are as follows:

Count I. Negligence
Count II. Negligent Supervision
Count III. Fraud
Count IV. Violations of the Texas Insurance Code
Count V. Violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act

For the reasons discussed below, Defendant's motion is granted in full. Counts I-III are dismissed with prejudice, while Counts IV and V are dismissed without prejudice, with leave to amend.

I. Factual Background

The following facts are taken as true from Dike's Amended Complaint. In 2009 David Dike approached PIA about the possibility of purchasing a Flexible Premium Indexed Life Insurance Policy ("the Policy") from them. (ECF 8, Amended Complaint ¶ 7.) PIA's agent William J. Talbot explained to Dike that the Policy required him to pay an initial cash premium, to be followed by yearly cash premiums which would be invested by PIA; the returns would then be paid out to Dike as policy loans, as well as additional tax-free income for the remainder of Dike's life, in addition to funding the life insurance policy and a long-term care policy. (Id. ¶¶ 8-9.) Dike expressed a preference to avoid negative tax consequences, such as those that would be created by a Modified Endowment Contract ("MEC"), and Talbot "expressly represented to [Dike] that a reduction in the Policy's death benefit was an appropriate investment consistent with [Dike's] investment goals, including, without limitation, avoiding the creation of a MEC." (Id. ¶ 10.)

In 2010 Dike purchased the Policy and paid an initial premium of $100,000. (Id. ¶ 11.) He later agreed to pay biannual premium payments of $50,000, which would be returned to him as policy loans for a 10-year period with an annual retirement benefit of $20,000-$22,000 tax-free. (Id. ¶ 12.) In October of 2012, Dike told Talbot that he wanted to begin receiving income from the Policy sooner than previously *534arranged, and reminded Talbot that he wished to avoid any changes to the Policy that would create an MEC. (Id. ¶¶ 13-14.) Talbot assured Dike that he would be careful to ensure that any changes to the Policy did not create an MEC. (Id. ¶ 15.) Talbot consulted with Wayne Stevens, another PIA employee, who recommended a reduction in the Policy's death benefit to increase the amount of Dike's premium that could be devoted to investment. (Id. ¶¶ 16-17). Talbot asked Stevens how much Dike could reduce the Policy's death benefit without creating an MEC, and Stevens suggested reducing the death benefit to $626,000. (Id. ¶¶ 18-19.) Talbot, in turn, suggested to Dike that he reduce the Policy's death benefit to $626,000 and redirect the difference toward investment. (Id. ¶ 20.) Dike gave written approval for the change on October 25, 2012. (Id. ¶ 21.) Dike's reduction to his Policy's death benefit in fact did create an MEC, thereby subjecting the Policy returns to taxation. (Id. ¶ 25.) Dike learned of this fact on February 1, 2016, when he for the first time received a Form 1099r from PIA reporting "gain on MEC." (Id. ¶ 26.)

II. Procedural Background

Dike filed suit against PIA on March 28, 2017 (ECF 1). He then filed an amended complaint on June 13, 2017 (ECF 8). On June 27, 2017 PIA filed a motion to dismiss all counts of the Amended Complaint (ECF 9). Dike responded on July 7, 2017 (ECF 10), and PIA replied on July 14, 2017 (ECF 11).

III. Discussion

A. Legal Standard

In considering a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), "we accept all factual allegations as true [and] construe the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff." Warren Gen. Hosp. v. Amgen, Inc., 643 F.3d 77, 84 (3d Cir. 2011) (internal quotation and citations omitted). "To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face.' " Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) ).

The Court in Iqbal explained that, although a court must accept as true all of the factual allegations contained in a complaint, that requirement does not apply to legal conclusions; therefore, pleadings must include factual allegations to support the legal claims asserted. Id. at 678, 684, 129 S.Ct. 1937. "Threadbare recitals of the elements of a cause of action, supported by mere conclusory statements, do not suffice." Id. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937 (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955 ); see also Phillips v. County of Allegheny,

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

TIG Insurance v. Aon Re, Inc.
521 F.3d 351 (Fifth Circuit, 2008)
Klaxon Co. v. Stentor Electric Manufacturing Co.
313 U.S. 487 (Supreme Court, 1941)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Warren General Hospital v. Amgen Inc.
643 F.3d 77 (Third Circuit, 2011)
Phillips v. County of Allegheny
515 F.3d 224 (Third Circuit, 2008)
Roland v. TRANSAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
570 F. Supp. 2d 871 (N.D. Texas, 2008)
Griffith v. United Air Lines, Inc.
203 A.2d 796 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1964)
Sterling Chemicals, Inc. v. Texaco Inc.
259 S.W.3d 793 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Webb v. UnumProvident Corp.
507 F. Supp. 2d 668 (W.D. Texas, 2005)
Kizer v. Meyer, Lytton, Alen & Whitaker, Inc.
228 S.W.3d 384 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2007)
Murphy v. Campbell
964 S.W.2d 265 (Texas Supreme Court, 1998)
Willis v. Maverick
760 S.W.2d 642 (Texas Supreme Court, 1988)
D.S.A., Inc. v. Hillsboro Independent School District
973 S.W.2d 662 (Texas Supreme Court, 1998)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
295 F. Supp. 3d 530, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dike-v-penn-ins-annuity-co-paed-2018.