Union Fidelity Life Insurance v. District of Columbia Department of Insurance
Union Fidelity Life Insurance v. District of Columbia Department of Insurance
Opinion of the Court
This case is before us on a petition for review of a decision and order of the Superintendent, District of Columbia Department of Insurance (Superintendent) revoking the certificate of authority of Union Fidelity Life Insurance Company (UFL) to transact business in the District of Columbia.
On April 7, 1972, the Superintendent served upon UFL “. . . notice . . to show cause . . . why your [certificate of authority] . . as a life insurance company should not be suspended or revoked . . . because the principle (sic) officers of [UFL] caused the issuance and circulation of printed material in and from the District of Columbia under the name National Senior Consumers Corp. [NSCC] . . . which may be in violation of the insurance laws of the District of Columbia.”
The Superintendent conducted on May 19, 1972, a hearing and exhibits were received into evidence which established, inter alia, that NSCC (a Delaware Corporation) was possessed of a certificate of authority, issued by the District of Columbia Superin
After the conclusion of the hearing, the Superintendent on June 6, 1972, made findings of fact, upon the basis of which he concluded “that UFL, through its principal officers caused the issuance of printed material that misrepresented the status of NSCC which they had organized,” whereupon petitioner’s certificate of authority was revoked.
By D.C.Code 1967, § 35-405, the Superintendent is empowered to suspend or revoke the certificate of authority of any life insurance company to transact business in the District of Columbia which—
(k) has made, issued, circulated, or caused to be issued or circulated any estimate, illustration, circular, or statement of any sort misrepresenting either its status or the terms of any policy issued or to be issued by it, or the benefits or advantages promised thereby, or the dividends or shares of the surplus to be received thereon, or has used any name or title of any policy or class of policies misrepresenting the true nature thereof.
We have reviewed carefully tthe whole of the administrative record, with particular reference to the printed materials under the letterhead of NSCC, and we are not satisfied that such printed materials were misrepresentations within the purview of subsection (k) quoted above. Certainly, the administrative record discloses no evidence, substantial or otherwise, the UFL made any misrepresentation proscribed by that subsection.
Because there was no substantial evidence to support the findings and consistent with the command of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure Act (APA), D.C.Code 1967, § 1-1510(3) (E) (Supp. V, 1972),
So ordered.
. No such policy was ever approved and, on May 9, 1972, after notice of the hearing, UFL requested withdrawal of the contract forms.
. There was no showing at the hearing that NSCC had any members or, if so, that any member had made application for such insurance or any other benefit or service.
. Cf. Wallace v. District Unemployment Compensation Board, D.C.App., 294 A.2d 177 (decided July 26, 1972).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- UNION FIDELITY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE
- Status
- Published