Miller v. Life Insurance Company was a case heard by the United States Supreme Court in 1871. The case involved a dispute between the plaintiff, Miller, and the defendant, Life Insurance Company. Miller had taken out a life insurance policy with the company, and upon his death, the company refused to pay the benefits to his widow. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Miller, finding that the insurance company had breached its contract with Miller. The Court held that the company had a duty to pay the benefits to Miller's widow, as the policy had been taken out in her name. The Court also found that the company had acted in bad faith by refusing to pay the benefits, and that Miller's widow was entitled to damages for the company's breach of contract. The Court's decision in Miller v. Life Insurance Company established that insurance companies have a duty to pay benefits to the beneficiaries of a policy, even if the policyholder has passed away. This ruling has been cited in numerous cases since, and has become an important precedent in insurance law.

In Miller v. Life Insurance Company, the Supreme Court was tasked with deciding whether a life insurance policy could be assigned to another person without the consent of the insurer. The majority opinion held that such an assignment was not valid and did not bind the insurer because it violated public policy by allowing someone other than the insured to benefit from a contract they were not party to. Justice Field dissented, arguing that there is no legal or moral principle preventing an individual from assigning their own property rights as they see fit and that any attempt by insurers to limit these rights would be oppressive and unjustified. He further argued that if assignments are allowed in other contracts then why should life insurance policies be treated differently? In conclusion, he believed this case presented an opportunity for courts to recognize individuals' right of self-determination over their own property interests but instead chose otherwise.