Varley v. General American Life Insurance Co.

CRANDALL, Judge.

Appellants, Lorene G. Carmody1 and James Varley & Sons, Inc., were the beneficiaries of certain insurance policies issued by respondent, General American Life Insurance Company, on the life of James G. Varley, Jr. On August 7, 1977, James G. Varley, Jr., committed suicide. Respondent paid the life insurance benefits of $155,000 to appellants but refused to pay the accidental death benefits. Respondent’s defense was that James G. Varley, Jr., was sane at the time that he committed suicide, and that his death was therefore not an accident. Appellants brought suit to recover…