National Production Workers Union Insurance Trust v. Cigna Corp.

KANNE, Circuit Judge.

The old adage “don’t sign it until you’ve read it” applies to unions just as it does to individuals. In this case, National Production Workers Union Insurance Trust (the “Trust” or “N.P.W.U.”) and Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) executed group accident and group life insurance policies that omitted what the Trust considered to be a critical beneficiary provision. Nonetheless, the Trust’s chairman signed the policy and the Trust paid the policy premiums. This dispute arose after LINA refused to pay the Trust a death benefit to which the Trust assumed it…