Opinion ID: 2979144
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: standard of review

Text: “We review de novo the district court’s disposition of an ERISA action based upon the administrative record, and apply the same legal standard as the district court.” Kovach v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co., 587 F.3d 323, 328 (6th Cir. 2010) (citing Wilkins v. Baptist Healthcare Sys., Inc., 150 F.3d 609, 613 (6th Cir. 1998)). Because the Plan granted discretionary authority to Reliance as the Plan administrator to interpret the Plan’s terms and to determine its benefits, we apply the arbitrary and capricious standard.1 See Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. v. Bruch, 489 U.S. 101, 111-15 (1989). The arbitrary and capricious standard is a deferential standard which requires the Court to uphold the administrator’s decision if the administrator’s discussion is “rational in light of the plan’s provisions.” Univ. Hosp. of Cleveland v. Emerson Elec. Co., 202 F.3d 839, 846 (6th Cir. 2000) (quoting Yeager v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co., 88 F.3d 376, 381 (6th Cir. 1996)).