Queen’s University insurance law expert Erik Knutsen is available to comment on the recent ruling that a Toronto man who killed his wife can collect his wife’s $51,000 life insurance policy. The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that Ved Dhingra is not criminally responsible for her killing because he suffered from a schizoaffective disorder.

“At first blush it may appear that a 'murderer' killed his wife and got the life insurance proceeds, but the issue is more nuanced than that. There was no 'murderer' because there was no intent. The public policy rule in insurance law only removes insurance coverage if a criminal's actions are designed to result in a loss in order to profit from that crime,” says Professor Knutsen.  

Professor Knutsen teaches law and his subjects include insurance, civil procedures and complex civil liability.

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