Court Opinion

ID: 7872881
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-08 20:52:54.964353+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:31:18.341159
License: Public Domain

SAND, Justice
(specially concurring).
I concur in the conclusions reached by Chief Justice Erickstad in the opinion and with many of the thoughts expressed therein. Were it not for Bonnie Nunn’s agreement, as expressed in the majority opinion, that the beneficiary need not be a dependent to qualify I would not be completely satisfied that the terms of the life insurance policy control and should not have been construed in line with the purposes ánd objectives and definitions set out in the group plan. In the absence of such agreement the group plan definitions should be applied to the insurance policy and be construed whenever possible in line with the well established rule of construction that all provisions not clear and specific are construed most favorably in harmony with the objectives and purposes to be accomplished. In my opinion, this is particularly true when the program is designed for the welfare of the employee and his family and is financed primarily or wholly by the employer. To illustrate the point in mind: What value would there be to an employer who is concerned with the welfare of the employee and his family if a married employee with children named a non-dependent or a person outside of the family as beneficiary, and upon the employee’s death the benefits would go to such named beneficiary, and the surviving wife and children would get nothing? The answer is, there would be no incentive for an employer to adopt and carry out such a program.
There is no language stating that the definitions in the group plan booklet do not apply to both the health care program and to the group life insurance program. The language of the policy is an item which is primarily between the employer and the insurance carrier and generally is an item which does not come under the scrutiny of the employee. It is a product of negotia*787tion between the insurance carrier and the employer. There is a responsibility upon the employer to secure the type of coverage for the employee which complies with the group plan.
I fully agree with the statement that hard facts make bad law and that we should and must resist the temptation to bend the law to reach a desired result. In my view, judicial restraint is necessary and furthermore it takes judicial courage to exercise such restraint. The basic issue involved here is one which can be readily resolved by appropriate legislation.