Category: Insured Person

The claimant sought a death benefit in relation to the death of her adult child. Adjudicator Norris concluded that the deceased was principally dependent for care on the claimant due to mental disability and diabetes. The claimant was the principal provider of social and emotional support for the deceased and regularly spoke to the deceased by telephone. The claimant also provided housekeeping assistance and dietary assistance. Death benefits were therefore awarded.

The claimant’s mother died as a result of an automobile accident. She applied for death benefits. The insurer argued that the claimant was not dependent on her mother at the time of the accident, and therefore not an insured person under the policy. Adjudicator Watt agreed with the insurer. Although the claimant resided with her mother at the time of the accident, she was employed full-time for over one year, earned well over the low-income cut off level for her geographic region, and had a large amount of savings. As such, the evidence did not support the position that more than 51 percent of the claimant’s financial needs were provided by her mother.

The claimant’s mother died in an accident. The claimant sought payment of death benefits. The insurer denied the benefits, arguing that the claimant was not a dependent of her mother. Adjudicator Watt agreed with the insurer. He noted that while the claimant lived with her mother and did not pay rent, the claimant had earned in excess of $40,000 per year and was employed part-time as a nurse. While the claimant had a close relationship with her mother, she was not principally dependent for financial support. She could not prove that she relied on her mother for 50 percent plus one of her financial needs, nor was her income under the Low Income Cut Off for her geographic region.