Guardian Owes Benefits to Widower of Salon Operator With Cancer

Guardian Life Insurance of America owes benefits to the widower of a beauty salon operator whose policy was canceled without her knowledge shortly before she died from cancer, the Fifth Circuit ruled.

Guardian waived its right to cancel the woman’s policy by accepting premium payments from Allure Salon for more than two years after it was empowered to cancel coverage, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit said June 20. Guardian said the delay stemmed from its “laudatory” practice of not canceling coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the appeals court disagreed and ruled for plaintiff James Edwards. ...