When you have a life insurance policy, you expect that it should be fairly simple. As long as you’re alive, the insurance company doesn’t have to do anything. When you pass away, they simply cut your family a check for the amount of insurance that you had.
Of course, it’s not nearly that simple. The claim may be denied when your family tries to get the payout. It’s clear that the life insurance company isn’t insinuating that the owner of the policy hasn’t really passed away, as that will need to be proven through a death certificate. So why would life insurance be denied? Hasn’t the only qualification already been met?
Lack of disclosure
First of all, you have to disclose different things on your life insurance forms, and you must be honest. If your medical history says that you have a pre-existing condition, for instance, you might not qualify for some types of life insurance. But if you lie and claim that you don’t have any pre-existing conditions, then it can invalidate the claim even though you’ve been paying for the policy for all those years.
Your loved one may also have had to disclose things like working in a dangerous occupation or having risky hobbies. Someone who is interested in mountain climbing, for instance, may have to pay more for life insurance than someone who’s never been in the mountains in their life.
The manner of death
You also need to consider the type of policy and if there are any reasons payment can be denied regarding the manner in which the individual passed away. Perhaps the most obvious example of this is when life insurance policies will say that there’s no payout if the person appears to have committed suicide. Of course, you may know that your loved one didn’t do that, but that’s not to stop the insurance company from claiming it and wrongfully denying your claim.
What are your options?
It’s very frustrating to find yourself in this position because it’s already a stressful time for your family and the insurance provider is simply making it worse. This is why it’s so important to understand all of the legal options you have.