Casey
Casey v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co.
Opinion
Opinion
O'Neill, J.
ORDER ON CROSS MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT
In this action, plaintiff MayeVern Casey (“Casey”) seeks to recover life insurance benefits following the death of her ex-spouse, Billy Claborn, under a group life insurance policy issued by defendant Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“Met Life”). The parties filed cross motions for summary judgment pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 56.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
A. The Group Universal Life Policy
In November of 1991, Casey was an employee of GTE, Corp. She enrolled in a Group Universal Life insurance plan provided by The Travelers Life Insurance Company (“The Travelers”) for employees of GTE. At that same time, Casey elected to obtain coverage in the amount of $100,000.00 on her then-spouse, Billy Claborn, naming Casey as the beneficiary. (At that time, plaintiffs married name was MayeVern Claborn.) The Travelers provided plaintiff with a certificate of insurance which stated that it “applies only to regular Employees of GTE Corporation or one of its subsidiaries ... It also applies to the spouse of an eligible Employee.” (Doc. 33, McIsaac Decl. Exh. A, p. P003.) In November 1994, Casey retired…