Houston Denied Bagwell Insurance Money

The Houston Astros cannot cannot collect on the insurance policy they hold on disabled 1B [Jeff Bagwell's $17 million salary for this year. The team hoped that they would recover $15.6 million, since Bagwell remains sidelined with shoulder problems.

However, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company has declared that Bagwell was able to play. "On March 13, 2006, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company notified the Houston Astros that it had denied a total disability claim submitted by the Astros relating to Jeff Bagwell," said attorney Ty Buthod, a partner at the Houston law firm of Baker Botts. "The company determined that there had been no adverse change in Mr. Bagwell's condition or ability to play baseball between the end of last season, when he was an active member of the roster, and January 31, 2006, the date the policy expired. The company carefully reviewed the claim as submitted by the Astros and determined that the claim did not support a finding of total disability."

Date
Tue 03/28/06, 9:48 am EST

Source

 * http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/3751839.html