Provident Life & Accident Insurance v. Barnard

The central question we consider in this appeal is whether a group insurance policy covered or excluded a claim for medical expenses.

Jerome S. Barnard suffered serious injuries in an automobile accident on December 27, 1979. In September 1981, Barnard filed a motion for declaratory judgment, asking the court to declare that the medical expenses he incurred were covered by a group insurance policy Barnard’s employer, Colonial Stores, Inc. (Colonial), had acquired from Provident Life and Accident Insurance Company (Provident). In September 1982, the trial court entered an order sua sponte…