Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital Co. v. American United Life Insurance

STARCHER, Chief Justice:

In this appeal from the Circuit Court of Lewis County, we are asked to examine the July 13, 1998 order of the circuit court that granted partial summary judgment against the appellant on the issue of whether the appellee insurance company, as a general business practice, violated the West Virginia Unfair Trade Practices Act (“Act”), W.Va. Code, 33-11-1 to -10.

The parties in this appeal dispute whether the Act applies to an insurance policy that provides an insured with life insurance annuities. As set forth below, we conclude that the Act does regulate the actions of…