Lindenberg v. Jackson National Life Insurance

98 F. Supp. 3d 934, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 183532, 2014 WL 8578944
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedDecember 11, 2014
DocketNo. 2:13-cv-02657-JPM-cgc
StatusPublished

This text of 98 F. Supp. 3d 934 (Lindenberg v. Jackson National Life Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lindenberg v. Jackson National Life Insurance, 98 F. Supp. 3d 934, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 183532, 2014 WL 8578944 (W.D. Tenn. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

JON P. McCALLA, District Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant Jackson National Life Insurance Company’s Motion for summary judgment, filed October 15, 2014. (ECF No. 87.) For the reasons stated below, Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background

Plaintiffs are residents of Shelby County, Tennessee. (Compl. ¶ 1, ECF No. 1-1.) Plaintiff Tamarin Lindenberg is the former wife of Decedent Thomas A. Lindenberg. (Id. ¶ 5.) Plaintiffs Zachary Thomas Lindenberg and SML are children of Plaintiff Tamarin Lindenberg and Decedent. (See id. ¶ 8, 6.) Defendant Jackson National Life Insurance Company is “a foreign corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of Michigan, and authorized by the Tennessee’s Commissioner of Insurance to engage in the business of writing and selling life insurance in this state.” (Id. ¶ 2.)

Defendant issued a life insurance policy (hereinafter “Policy”) to Decedent effective January 23, 2002, which was renewable to the age of 95. (Id. ¶ 4.) The Policy insured Decedent’s life in the sum of $350,000 and designated Tamarin Lindenberg as the primary beneficiary. (Id.) The Policy stated in relevant part:

THE COMPANY WILL PAY the face amount shown in the policy specifications, less any premium due, to the designated beneficiary upon proof of the Insured’s death and not later than two months after the receipt of such proof.

(Id.)

Tamarin Lindenberg and Decedent divorced in 2005 in Shelby County, Tennessee. (Id. ¶ 5.) Tamarin Lindenberg remained the primary beneficiary after the divorce; however, the Marital Dissolution Agreement (MDA) required that “Wife shall pay for the life insurance premium for Columbus and Jackson National policies for so long as she is able to do so and [936]*936still support the parties’ children.” (Id. ¶¶ 5-6.) Additionally, the MDA required “Husband [to] maintain[ ] ‘at his expense’ a policy insuring his life in the amount of $450,000 and naming the parties’ children” as “irrevocable primary beneficiaries.” (Id. ¶ 6.)

Decedent died on January 22, 2013. (Id. ¶ 7.) Leading up to his death, Decedent was disabled and living with Plaintiffs. (Id. ¶ 8.) Decedent had difficulty earning enough income to provide for himself and his children. (Id.) According to Plaintiffs, “[Tamarin Lindenberg] had long provided for him following their divorce and continued to provide for him until his death.” (Id.)

The parties do not dispute that premiums for the Policy were duly paid. (Answer ¶ 9, ECF No. 4.) Insurance forms and the MDA were “sent to Defendant on February 2, 2013 via express mail, next day delivery.” (ComplA 10.) On March 11, 2013, Plaintiffs sent Defendant a demand letter explaining the immediate need for funds. (Id. ¶ 11.) On March 22, 2013, Defendant sent Plaintiffs a letter stating there was “insufficient basis to pay the claim.” (Id. ¶ 13 (internal quotation marks omitted).) The letter required further action by Plaintiffs:

1. “[W]aivers to be signed by other potential parties in this matter”; ■
2. Plaintiff to “obtain court-appointed Guardian(s) for the Estates of the two minor children. The Guardians cannot be Tamarin Lindenberg[.]” [“]The Guardians will need to sign waivers for the minor ehildren[;]” and ■
3. “[A] waiver to be signed by Mr. Lindenberg’s other children. We know of one other child, Mary A. Lindenberg. Jackson may also require an affidavit indicating that Mr. Lindenberg has no other children.”

(Id. ¶ 13.) Defendant also required “a written waiver from Plaintiff Tamarin Lindenberg before it would tender any funds.” (Id. ¶ 14.)

Plaintiffs subsequently filed suit to recover the death benefit and other damages. (ECF No. 1-1.) At the time of filing of the complaint, Defendant had not yet paid benefits to Plaintiffs. (Id. ¶¶ 10 & 12.)

Plaintiffs alleged that “[d]espite [Tamarin Lindenberg’s] repeated requests • Defendant has failed to send Plaintiff documents she has requested that Defendant claims it must have before payment is made on the policy.” (Id. ¶ 14.) Tamarin Lindenberg also communicated to Defendant that “she was in New Jersey and could not leave her children to establish guardianships in Tennessee.” (Id.)

Defendant responded that Defendant had not paid the death benefit to Plaintiffs at the time the Complaint was filed, “because there [were] competing and/or potentially competing claims to the death benefit.” (Answer ¶ 13, ECF No. 4.) Defendant further asserted “that because Plaintiff would not commit to a course of action, appropriate waivers could not be drafted or provided.” (Id. ¶ 14.)

On May 19, 2014, the Court ordered payment of the death benefit to Tamarin Lindenberg. (ECF No. 32.) Defendant subsequently complied with the order and disbursed payment to Tamarin Linden-berg. (ECF No. 84-1 at PagelD 560.)

B. Procedural Background

On July 19, 2013, Plaintiffs filed their Complaint in the Circuit Court of Shelby County Tennessee for the Thirteenth Judicial District at Memphis. (ECF No. 1-1.) On August 23, 2013, Defendant removed the case to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennes[937]*937see pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1332, 1441, and 1446. (ECF No. 1 at 1.)

On August 30, 2013, Defendant filed an Answer to the Complaint. (ECF No. 4.) Defendant included in the filing a Third-Party Complaint for Interpleader against Mary Angela Lindenberg and a Counterclaim against Tamarin Lindenberg. (Id. at 5-8.) With regards to Defendant’s Counterclaim and Third-Party Complaint, Defendant asserted it “[was] not in a position to determine,' factually or legally, who is entitled to the Death Benefit,” and requested the Court to “determine to whom said benefits should be paid.” (Id. at 7.) On September 23, 2013, Plaintiff Tamarin Lindenberg and Third-Party Defendant Mary Angela Lindenberg Williams filed a Motion to Dismiss Defendant Jackson National Life Insurance Company’s Counterclaim and Third-Party Complaint for Interpleader. (ECF No. 9.) On December 9, 2013, the parties filed a Joint Motion to Appoint James and Kimberly Griffith as Guardian Ad Litems (ECF No. 19), which was subsequently granted by the Court (ECF No. 20).

On May 19, 2014, the Court granted Plaintiff Tamarin Lindenberg’s and Third-Party Defendant Mary Angela Lindenberg Williams’ Motion to Dismiss. (ECF No. 32.) The Court further ordered Defendant “to disburse life insurance policy benefits to Plaintiff in the amount of $350,000 with interest from January 23, 2013, until the date of payment.” (Id. at 17.)

On August 21, 2014, Defendant filed a Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs’ Claims for Punitive Damages and Common Law Bad Faith. (ECF No.

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Bluebook (online)
98 F. Supp. 3d 934, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 183532, 2014 WL 8578944, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lindenberg-v-jackson-national-life-insurance-tnwd-2014.