Durant v. Buckeye Union Ins. Co., Unpublished Decision (5-24-2006)

# Durant v. Buckeye Union Insurance Company ## What Happened A former priest's estate sought insurance benefits from Buckeye Union Insurance Company after his death. The dispute centered on whether he qualified as a "priest" under the company's insurance policy. The key question was whether the deceased former priest met the policy's definition of priest—specifically, whether he was authorized to perform priestly duties. ## What the Court Decided The appeals court ruled against the estate and sided with the insurance company. The court found that the deceased former priest did not fall within the policy's definition of "priest" because he was not authorized to perform priestly duties. The court relied on the plain, ordinary meaning of the word "priest" in the insurance contract language. ## Why This Matters for Workers This case demonstrates how important the specific wording of employment-related insurance policies is. Insurance contracts often contain detailed definitions of job titles and duties. Workers should carefully review what their policies actually cover and ensure they understand whether their current role truly matches the description in the policy document. If circumstances change—such as losing certain authorizations—coverage may be affected.