In re Executive Life Insurance Co.
Opinion of the Court
Ordered that the appeal from the decision is dismissed, as no appeal lies from a decision (see Schicchi v J.A. Green Constr. Corp., 100 AD2d 509 [1984]); and it is further,
Ordered that the order is affirmed insofar as appealed from; and it is further,
Ordered that one bill of costs is awarded to the petitioner-respondent and the nonparty-respondent.
More than 20 years ago, Executive Life Insurance Company of New York (hereinafter ELNY) went into rehabilitation under the auspices of the New York State Liquidation Bureau. In 2011, the Superintendent of Insurance of New York State (hereinafter the Superintendent) filed a petition with the Supreme Court, seeking to convert the rehabilitation proceeding into a liquidation proceeding on the ground that ELNY was insolvent. The Superintendent also sought approval of an agreement of restructuring in connection with the liquidation of ELNY (hereinafter the agreement), pursuant to which ELNY’s assets were to be distributed on a pro rata basis to payees of ELNY annuities, and 40 State Insurance Guaranty Association members of the National Organization of Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations (hereinafter the SIG Associations), were to contribute funds towards the satisfaction of ELNY’s obligations to its annuity payees, up to the statutory coverage caps applicable to them. Pursuant to the agreement, the SIG Associations were also to provide certain enhancements in coverage, beyond the amounts that they are statutorily required to provide, and a consortium of life insurance companies voluntarily agreed to provide certain guarantees of policyholder payments. While the agreement provides more coverage of benefits to payees of ELNY annuities than would have been afforded by a straight statutory liquidation proceeding, approximately 15% of payees will experience a reduction in benefits pursuant to the agreement, some by significant percentages.
ELNY annuity payees were notified, by mail sent to their last known addresses, of the pendency of the liquidation proceeding
We reject the objectors’ contention that they were denied due process, either in the manner in which the notice was provided to them or in the conduct of the hearing. “The fundamental requisite of due process of law is the opportunity to be heard” (Grannis v Ordean, 234 US 385, 394 [1914]).
“An elementary and fundamental requirement of due process in any proceeding which is to be accorded finality is notice reasonably calculated, under all the circumstances, to apprise interested parties of the pendency of the action and afford them an opportunity to present their objections. Milliken v. Meyer, 311 U.S. 457; Grannis v. Ordean, 234 U.S. 385 [1914]; Priest v. Las Vegas, 232 U.S. 604; Roller v. Holly, 176 U.S. 398. The notice must be of such nature as reasonably to convey the required information, Grandis v. Ordean, supra, and it must afford a reasonable time for those interested to make their appearance, Roller v. Holly, supra, and cf Goodrich v. Ferris, 214 U.S. 71” (Mullane v Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co., 339 US 306, 314-315 [1950]).
The notice mailed to the last known addresses of the ELNY annuity payees was reasonably calculated to apprise them of the pendency of the liquidation proceeding and the execution of the proposed agreement, and to afford them an opportunity to be heard, and, thus, satisfied due process (see Matter of Orange County Commr. of Fin. [Helseth], 18 NY3d 634, 639 [2012]; Matter of McCann v Scaduto, 71 NY2d 164, 173 [1987]). Moreover, the record does not support the contention that the hearing was “an unfair proceeding.”
There is no merit to the contention that the Supreme Court
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.