Wirtanen v. Prudential Insurance Co. of America

This is an appeal of right from a jury verdict of no cause of action. The jury by its verdict rejected plaintiffs’ claim for $5,000, alleged by them to be owing under a double indemnity clause in a policy of life insurance. The clause provided for payment of an amount equal to the face value of the policy in case of accidental death of the named insured. It specifically excluded such benefit in case of suicide.

The insured was Bruce Wirtanen; the beneficiaries were his mother and father, the plaintiffs herein. The defendant was the policy-issuing insurer.

According to the record the deceased…