Life Insurance Denial
Lawyer
The death of a spouse is one of the most difficult
experiences any of us will ever have to endure. Although the death of any
family member can be very painful, the death of your spouse is like no other:
it affects every single aspect of your life. You will feel your spouse’s
absence in everyday living; perhaps you did the dishes together every night,
but now you have to do them alone. Your house is quiet and lonely. The person
who knows you best is no longer there to support you. You’ll also miss them keenly
on days that are meant to be happy milestones, such as your children’s
graduations and weddings. In addition, your social life is affected, and your
financial situation may be in question.
During this sad and distressing time, the surviving spouse
is required to deal with a lot of details. You may have to plan the funeral or
memorial service, to have the will probated, and names changed on legal
documents. And one of the tasks you may be expected to do is to make a claim
for your spouse’s life insurance. Many of us assume that this is a simple
transaction: your spouse had life insurance, your spouse passed away, the
insurance company must pay out the policy. But, unfortunately, this is not the
case. In fact, many life insurance claims are denied. If this has happened to
you, it must seem like one more terrible event in an already terrible period of
your life.
Reasons the Claim May
Have Been Denied
Some of the reasons why a life insurance claim could be rejected
by the insurance company include:
- Lies on
your spouse’s application. Sometimes people don’t disclose the whole truth
on the application. Non-smokers usually pay much less than smokers for life
insurance, for example. If the insurance company discovers that your spouse
checked the "non-smoker” box but in fact they werea long-time smoker, the claim
may be denied. Other common "white lies” include providing false information
about driving history, dangerous hobbies, drug or alcohol use, or depression.
- Expired
policy. Missing a payment may mean that the policy expired. The insurance
company records may differ from your own banking records, so be sure to explore
this further.
- Wrong
documentation. Two common problems are an improperly completed beneficiary
form on file, or an improperly verified death certificate submitted by the
spouse.
- Suicide. If
the circumstances of your spouse’s death could be interpreted as suicide, the
claim may be denied, depending on the terms of the policy.
But…help may be available, in the form of a life insurance
denial lawyer.
Appealing the
Decision
Although many claims are denied, these decisions are often
reversed during the appeals process. Talk to a lawyer who has experience with
life insurance denial -- many times these lawyers work at personal
injury law firms. They understand the insurance business and the claims
process. They know how to complete the (very exacting) paperwork and can help
you fight back against the initial decision. And they can also be a great
support for you during this confusing, difficult time.
If your spouse has passed away, dealing with an insurance
claim denial is the last thing you want to deal with. Call a personal injury
law firm today and enquire about talking to a life insurance denial lawyer. Get
the help you need to reverse an unfavourable decision.