Snell v. Insurance Company was a United States Supreme Court case that addressed the issue of whether an insurance company was liable for a policyholder's death. The case involved the death of a man named John Snell, who had taken out a life insurance policy with the defendant insurance company. Snell's widow, Mary, brought a suit against the insurance company, claiming that the company was liable for her husband's death. The Supreme Court held that the insurance company was liable for Snell's death. The Court reasoned that the insurance policy was a contract between the parties, and that the insurance company had a duty to pay the policyholder's beneficiaries in the event of his death. The Court also noted that the insurance company had failed to provide any evidence that Snell had breached the terms of the policy, and thus the company was liable for his death. The Court's decision in Snell v. Insurance Company established that insurance companies are liable for the death of their policyholders, and that they must pay the beneficiaries of the policy in the event of the policyholder's death. This decision has been cited in numerous subsequent cases, and has become an important precedent in the area of insurance law.

In the case of Snell v. Insurance Company, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether a contract between two parties could be enforced when it had been made without consideration. The majority opinion held that such contracts were not enforceable because they lacked consideration and thus did not meet the requirements for a valid contract under common law. Justice Field dissented from this decision, arguing that while consideration is an important element in determining if a contract is legally binding, there are other factors which should also be taken into account when deciding whether or not to enforce such agreements. He argued that courts should consider all relevant facts surrounding the agreement including its purpose and any special circumstances which may have led to its formation before making their determination as to whether or not it can be enforced by law.