Aetna Life Ins. v. Hussey

The central issue in this case is whether Kelly Rae Hussey has an unrestricted right to receive all the proceeds from Raymond W. Hussey Jr.’s life insurance policy. In other words, was Kelly (who is now twenty-three years of age) entitled to receive more than those insurance proceeds that were necessary for her education prior to attaining the age of twenty-two? For the reasons that follow, we answer such query in the negative.

As a threshold matter we must determine whether Raymond lawfully changed the beneficiary of his life insurance policy from Kelly to Phillip Lawrence, as trustee. In…