Case Information
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION RELIASTAR LIFE INSURANCE )
COMPANY, )
)
Plaintiff, )
) v. ) No. 1:24-cv-00787-JRS-CSW )
WENDY STEIL, )
SANDRA STEIL, )
)
Defendants. ) Order Adopting Report and Recommendation and Granting Motion for Summary Judgment
This is an interpleader action. ReliaStar Life Insurance Company issued group life insurance policy No. 31333-5 GAT to 3M Company, under which Decedent Kenneth Steil (the "Decedent") was eligible for coverage (the "Policy"). (ECF No. 1.) At the time of the Decedent's death, he was enrolled for coverage in the amount of $23,878 (the "Death Benefit"). ( Id. ) The Policy provides that Reliastar will pay the Death Benefit to the designated beneficiary upon the Decedent’s death. ( Id. ) Because of competing claims to the Death Benefit, Reliastar moved to interplead the Death Benefit under 28 U.S.C. § 1335, (ECF No. 3), and the Court granted its motion, (ECF No. 45). Wendy Steil ("Steil") claims she is the designated beneficiary and that the Death Benefit should be paid to her. (ECF Nos. 13, 15.)
The Magistrate Judge issued a Report and Recommendation under 28 U.S.C. §636(b)(1)(B), and no objection thereto having been filed, the Court adopts the Report and Recommendation, (ECF No. 46); and construes Defendant Sandra Olson-Steil's filing at ECF No. 43 as a Motion to Dismiss, and grants that Motion, (ECF No. 43). Olson-Steil is dismissed from this case. Upon Olson-Steil's dismissal, Wendy Steil becomes the sole claimant to the Death Benefit.
The Court finds that Wendy Steil is the designated beneficiary entitled to the Death Benefit under policy No. 31333-5 GAT. Steil's Motion for Summary Judgment, (ECF No. 47), is granted and Wendy Steil is awarded the Death Benefits under policy No. 31333-5 GAT. [1]
The Clerk is directed to enter final judgment awarding Wendy Steil the Interpleader Funds on Deposit plus interest and close this case. The Clerk is directed to issue payment in the amount of $20,878 plus any interest accrued made payable to Wendy Steil . Said funds shall be sent to:
Wendy Steil Before funds can be disbursed, however, Wendy Steil must provide the Court with her tax identification information, which she can do by submitting an Internal Review Service Form W-9 by email to: finance@insd.uscourts.gov.
SO ORDERED.
Date: 5/20/2025 Distribution:
Magistrate Judge Crystal S. Wildeman
Financial Deputy Clerk
WENDY STEIL
SANDRA STEIL
1021 Cardinal Drive
Owatonna, MN 55060
Emily Felix
McDowell Hetherington LLP
emily.felix@mhllp.com
[1] Steil's summary judgment motion seeks attorney's fees, but she has not filed a separate motion as Local Rule 7-1(a) requires. Moreover, Steil is not represented by counsel; instead, she proceeds pro se in this matter. The request for fees is therefore denied .