Opinion No. 500-69
Topics:
SCHOOLS.
INSURANCE.
Summary conclusion
A school board has the discretionary authority to pay the premiums for life insurance for its employees as part of their compensation.
Contents of opinion
November 18, 1969
Honorable A. Basey Vanlandingham
Representative - 19th District
12 North Second Street
Columbia, Missouri 65201
Dear Representative Vanlandingham:
This letter is in response to your request for an opinion of this office in which you ask whether school boards can purchase life insurance for their employees as part of the employees' compensation.
As you note, this office has previously by Opinion No. 93, Cason, 9/9/69, held that a school board has the authority to purchase an individual liability insurance policy on an employee to cover his negligence occurring during the normal activities of the school district as a form of compensation. We see no valid distinction between the purchase of liability insurance as compensation and the purchase of life insurance as compensation.
CONCLUSION
It is the opinion of this office that a school board has the discretionary authority to pay the premiums for life insurance for its employees as part of their compensation.
The foregoing opinion, which I hereby approve, was prepared by my assistant, Kenneth M. Romines.
Very truly yours,
John C. Danforth
Attorney General