Zaccardo v. John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance

The plaintiff, beneficiary under a life insurance policy upon the life of her son Louis, seeks to recover under the double indemnity clause for accidental death. The defendant has paid the principal sum but has refused to pay double indemnity because Louis’ death occurred while he was in military service in time of war.

Louis died on August 21, 1951. His death resulted from the explosion of a jet airplane at Port Dix, New Jersey. It was an accidental death. At the time, he was in military service in the United States army. It was during the period that our forces were engaged in the Korean…