Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance (In re Maifeld)

495 B.R. 127
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJuly 15, 2013
DocketBankruptcy No. 11-17986-FJB; Adversary No. 12-1311
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 495 B.R. 127 (Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance (In re Maifeld)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance (In re Maifeld), 495 B.R. 127 (Mass. 2013).

Opinion

AMENDED MEMORANDUM OF DECISION ON DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS

FRANK J. BAILEY, Bankruptcy Judge.

By Count I of his complaint in this adversary proceeding, the plaintiff and chapter 13 debtor, Scott S. Maifeld (“Mai-feld”), seeks damages under Massachusetts law for denial by defendant West Coast Life Insurance Company (“West Coast”) of his claim as a beneficiary under his deceased mother’s life insurance policy. West Coast denied coverage on the basis that the mother’s policy had lapsed before she passed away. Maifeld, arguing that the policy remained in effect, contends that the denial was an unfair claim settlement practice within the meaning of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 176D, § 3(9) (defining certain acts as unfair claim settlement practices), made actionable through Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A, § 9.1 The adversary proceeding is before the court on West Coast’s motion under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) to dismiss this count for failure to state a claim on which relief can be granted. For the reasons set forth below, the court will grant the motion.

By separate order, the court earlier ruled that Count I is related to the Mai-feld’s bankruptcy case but does not arise [129]*129under the Bankruptcy Code and is not a core proceeding within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 157(b). It is therefore subject to 28 U.S.C. § 157(c), under which the bankruptcy court may enter final judgment in the matter only with the consent of both parties. Maifeld so assented in his complaint; and in a later pleading, West Coast has now done the same with respect to Count I. Accordingly, the court now proceeds to decide the matter pursuant to its authority under § 157(c)(2).

a. Standard of Review

When presented with a motion to dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), the Court must “accept as true all well-pleaded facts set forth in the complaint and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in the pleader’s favor.” Artuso v. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 637 F.3d 1, 5 (1st Cir. 2011). Subject to certain exceptions, a complaint need only contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Id., citing Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2).

Although there is no need for “detailed factual allegations,” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007), the complaint must “contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Ashcroft v. Iqbal [556 U.S. 662], 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929). Accordingly, a complaint must include more than a rote recital of the elements of a cause of action; it must include “factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. “If the factual allegations in the complaint are too meager, vague, or eonelusory to remove the possibility of relief from the realm of mere conjecture, the complaint is open to dismissal.” S.E.C. v. Tambone, 597 F.3d [436] at 442 [1st Cir.2010] (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955).

Artuso, 637 F.3d at 5.

b. Arguments of the Parties

Massachusetts law defines certain acts and omissions as “unfair claim settlement practices.” Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 176D, § 3(9). These include “failing to effectuate prompt, fair and equitable settlements of claims in which liability has become reasonably clear,” id. at § 3(9)(f), and “compelling insureds to institute litigation to recover amounts due under an insurance policy by offering substantially less than the amounts ultimately recovered in actions brought by such insureds,” id. at § 3(9)(g). Section 9(1) of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A empowers any person whose rights are affected by another person violating the provisions of ch.l76D, § 3(9) to bring suit for redress. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A, § 9(1); Polaroid Corp. v. Travelers Indem. Co., 414 Mass. 747, 754, 610 N.E.2d 912 (1993). Maifeld contends that his complaint alleges an unfair claim settlement practice within the meaning of paragraphs (f) and (g) of ch. 176D, § 3(9). In support of dismissal, West Coast argues (among other things) that there can have been no violation of paragraph (f) or (g) of ch. 176D, § 3(9) because both require that the denied claim have been a valid claim, but, on the alleged facts, the policy had expired before the insured passed away, and therefore Maifeld’s claim was invalid. Maifeld concedes that, in order to state a claim for either of the unfair claim settlement practices on which Count I is predicated, he must allege facts that, if proven, would support a determination that the denied claim for coverage was a valid one; but, for five reasons, he denies that the alleged facts would not support that conclusion. [130]*130First, he argues that, because the policy-had not expired when he filed his bankruptcy petition, and he was both his mother’s guardian — in which capacity he was in charge of paying her bills — and the beneficiary of the policy, the automatic stay has prevented cancellation of the policy; consequently, the policy remains in effect, and the denial of his claim was wrongful. Second, he also argues that 11 U.S.C. § 108(b) tolled the contractual grace period, and therefore “he was well within any deadlines or grace periods”; he does not specify what (if anything) he did within any deadline or grace period. Third, he also argues that the policy cannot have expired before his mother’s death because Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 175, § HOB prohibits life insurance policies from lapsing for nonpayment of premiums until the expiration of three months from the premium’s due date. Fourth, he argues that there can have been no lapse because the policy expressly provides for a continuing right of reinstatement. And fifth, he argues that it is possible, though he cannot presently so allege, that the insured purchased an option under which any premium not paid before the end of the grace period would be paid by an automatic policy loan.

c. Facts

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Related

Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance
516 B.R. 186 (D. Massachusetts, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
495 B.R. 127, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/maifeld-v-west-coast-life-insurance-in-re-maifeld-mab-2013.