Following the dismissal of his lawsuit by the district court, Plaintiff-Appellant Lance Shearer (“Shearer”) filed this appeal and argues that the district court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the case. At issue is whether the insurance policy underlying this suit is covered by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1461. Because Shearer’s employer did no more than pay the premiums on the policy and ERISA does not regulate the “bare purchase of insurance,” Shearer’s claims are not preempted by ERISA, and the district court lacked jurisdiction over the case. Therefore, we VACATE the judgment of the district court and REMAND the case for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
Shearer is the 50% owner of Intercontinental Materials Management, Inc. (“IMMI”), as well as an employee of the company. His mother, Christal Shearer (“Ms. Shearer”) owns the other 50% of IMMI. On June 10, 2004, Shearer applied for health insurance for himself and his family from Defendant-Appellee Southwest Service Life Insurance Company (“SWSL”). The premiums for the policy were paid by IMMI. Shearer and his mother both stated in their affidavits that this was done for bookkeeping purposes. Some time later, Shearer’s son suffered an injury requiring hospitalization and surgery, and Shearer submitted a claim under his policy to SWSL. Although SWSL paid
Shearer filed suit against SWSL and its agent, Defendant-Appellee Richard Sanders (“Sanders”), in Texas state court on March 2, 2007, bringing state law claims of misrepresentation, breach of contract, unfair and deceptive trade practices, and unfair claim settlement practices. 1 SWSL, with Sanders’s consent, removed the case on April 6, 2007. Defendants claimed that the insurance policy at issue was covered by ERISA and thus Shearer’s claims were preempted by ERISA and removable pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331.
Shortly after removal, the district court struck Sanders as a defendant. Shearer then filed a motion to remand, arguing that his insurance policy was not an ERISA plan. The district court denied the motion without comment. The district court then granted SWSL’s motion for summary judgment, ruling that Shearer’s claims failed to meet the ERISA standard for relief. Shearer now appeals and contends that the district court lacked jurisdiction over the case because the insurance policy was not an ERISA plan. We have jurisdiction to hear his appeal, as a final judgment has been entered. See 28 U.S.C. § 1291.
II. DISCUSSION
As the party removing the case, SWSL bears the burden of establishing jurisdiction.
See Boone v. Citigroup, Inc.,
Typically, the existence of an ERISA plan is a question of fact that we review only for clear error.
Reliable Home Health Care, Inc. v. Union Cent. Ins. Co.,
Pursuant to ERISA, an “employee benefit plan” includes an “employee welfare benefit plan.” 29 U.S.C. § 1002(3). ERISA defines an “employee welfare benefit plan” as
any plan, fund, or program which was ... established or maintained by an employer ... to the extent that such plan, fund, or program was established or is maintained for the purpose of providing for its participants or their beneficiaries, through the purchase of insurance or otherwise, (A) medical, surgical, or hospital care or benefits, or benefits in the event of sickness, accident, disability, death or unemployment ....
Id. § 1002(1). SWSL contends that Shearer’s insurance policy fits within this definition.
In the past, we have broken down the third step of our analysis into two elements—(1) whether the employer established or maintained the plan, and (2) whether the employer intended to provide benefits to its employees.
Meredith,
In
Taggart Corp. v. Life & Health Benefits Administration, Inc.,
we held that a company’s purchase of insurance for its lone employee was insufficient to establish an ERISA plan.
Here, the evidence before the district court demonstrated that IMMI paid the premiums on Shearer’s policy and that IMMI paid the premiums on a separate policy from a different insurance company for Ms. Shearer. IMMI, however, did not
Defendants incorrectly assert that
Provident Life & Accident Insurance Co. v. Sharpless,
III. CONCLUSION
Because IMMI’s payment of premiums alone is insufficient to create an ERISA plan, the district court lacked jurisdiction over the case. We therefore VACATE the judgment of the district court and REMAND for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
VACATED and REMANDED.
