Traveler Sued By Life Insurance Company

AMEX Assurance Company has brought suit against Gary Giordano, who was imprisoned in Aruba for the suspected death of his traveling partner, Robyn Gardner. Giordano claimed that Gardner “was swept out to sea as the two were snorkeling off the southern tip of Aruba – a claim contested by her family.” Giordano was eventually released after a judge ruled that the prosecution did not have enough evidence to continue holding him in jail. 

In this case, the company has alleged that the policy that Giordano took out on Gardner is not enforceable because the two parties are not legally married. The company also accused him of providing false information to the insurance company. Here Giordano stated that Gardner was his partner, even though the parties only had a “casual and non-exclusive” relationship. The lawsuit also rejects the contention that Gardner is dead and instead contends that she is only missing. The insurance company first learned of the incident when the prosecution began its investigation into the matter. The company claimed that it became suspicious of Giordano because he listed himself as the sole beneficiary of Gardner’s insurance policy but listed his mother as the sole beneficiary of his insurance policy. Giordano’s lawyer rejects these assertions and claims that Giordano only purchased the life insurance on his former lawyer’s advice. Now, Giordano has brought suit against the insurance company claiming that he is entitled to the life insurance proceeds.

See Eric Tucker, Gary Giordano Sued by AMEX Assurance Company, Claims Robyn Gardner Insurance Policy Not Valid, The Huffington Post, Sept. 10, 2012.

Special thanks to David S. Luber (Attorney at law, Florida Probate Attorney Wills and Estates Law Firm) for bringing this article to my attention.