"Notwithstanding that the right to convert to an individual insurance policy had long since expired, the court crafted a remedy under ERISA that imposed a surcharge on the employer equal to the $750,000 in life insurance that the physician employee would have elected to convert to an individual policy but for the plan administrator's breach of its fiduciary duty; the court also awarded the physician's spouse interest, legal fees and costs associated with bringing the lawsuit. Because the ability to convert to an individual policy was no longer available, the employer, and not the insurance company, is obligated to make all of these payments." [Erwood v. Life Insurance Company of North America and Wellstar Health System, Inc. Group Life Insurance Program, No. 14-1284 (W.D. Penn. Apr. 13, 2017)]  MORE >>