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The Ehline Law Firm Can Assist with Settling Your Life Insurance Claim
Generally, beneficiaries can get the policyholder’s life insurance benefits or claims within a few weeks following the insured’s demise.
However, this is not always the case, as insurance companies use delay tactics, questioning your claims, and even delaying them. There are many reasons an insurance company can refuse your claims.
They’ll throw around a couple of “life insurance policies” or even pressurize you.
If you’re facing difficulties with your insurance company, we recommend you approach an expert life insurance attorney in Los Angeles County for legal advice. Having a life insurance lawyer can relieve a lot of stress and help expedite claims if the company seems to be slowing down the claims process. A life insurance lawyer will put the right amount of pressure on insurance companies to pay benefits and get you the death benefit claim you deserve.
There are many reasons an insurance company can deny your claims, but here are some common areas where a lawyer can help you contest the denial.
Death During the Contestability Period
According to Californian law, insurance companies have two years contestability period when individuals purchase a new life insurance coverage. During this period, life insurance companies have the right to scrutinize any documents given to the insurance company upon the policyholder’s death.
The two-year contestability period that starts with the first premium payment is to secure the insurance company against fraudulent document submissions or incorrect information. For example, a policyholder is a heavy smoker and dies from heart failure following their insurance application. During the application, the policyholder does not even mention their smoking habits. In such cases, an insurance company has the right to revisit the documents, check if the information is accurate, and deny life insurance claims based on insurance fraud.
However, the law also dictates that life insurance beneficiaries can challenge any insurance misstatements depending on the nature or severity of the material misrepresentation. A life insurance attorney can help negotiate with the insurance company and back your claims with solid evidence and information to ensure you get the life insurance death benefit you deserve.
Life Insurance Policy Lapse Before Death
For a life insurance policy to remain active, a policyholder must make regular premium payments without missing any. Any missing or incomplete payments can become grounds for the beneficiary’s refusal of life insurance benefits.
However, some conditions can still help you get a life insurance claim, even if there are any missing payments. An insured’s death occurring within 30 days of a life insurance policy lapse can constitute higher death benefits.
There may also be a chance that the insurer might be responsible for any missing payments by the insured. By law in many states, insurance companies need to notify their policyholder before and after they cancel their life insurance policies.
If you haven’t gotten any notifications from your insurance company and the insured dies before the policy lapses, contact a life insurance attorney immediately to help you get a death benefit payout.
Death Due to Unusual Circumstances
Most life insurance companies refuse to pay claims if the insured commits suicide or the insured dies in homicide. Death occurring in such situations is often grounds for insurance companies denying claims. An insurance agreement includes all the clauses that might result in refusing claims.
Insurance firms can also refuse claims without looking at medical records if they feel that the life insurance beneficiary is a suspect in the insured’s death.
Life insurers deny claims for even the slightest of irregularities, which is why you need an expert attorney to defend a contested claim. This can start a legal process, so ensure you have the right attorney to support the denial claim and get you a hefty cash value compensation.
What to Do If the Insurer Denies Life Insurance Claims?
The insurers are making the rules, and if the policyholder fails to follow the policy terms and conditions, you might struggle to get a claim out of the insurance company. However, it is always best to get to the bottom of the situation and find out why you’re not getting your claim.
Contact the Life Insurer
Contacting your insurance provider is a great way to get some information on the refusal of your life insurance claims. An insurance agent will let you know the reasons for refusing your claim. You may need to hand in your medical history and other additional documents to support your case against the denial. However, you may feel that the insurance provider is not fairly handling your case; in such cases, contact a life insurance attorney.
Contest the Denial
Beneficiaries of life insurance can contest rejections if they feel they’ve got the evidence against unfair denials. You can examine the disclaimer by getting in touch with your insurance providers. This may be the cheapest option to pursue, but it can be time-consuming,g going back and forth with a provider trying to deny claims.
You can also reach out to the California Department of Insurance, which can look into the lousy faith insurance company’s h practices or unfair treatment of the young. This, again, is time-consuming.
Reaching out to a lawyer to file an appeal or go for a lawsuit against the insurance provider is the fastest way you can get money.
Let Ehline Law Deal with the Life Insurance Company
Ehline Law and our California life insurance attorneys will review the insurance policy and your claims form to find more information to file an appeal.
Our lawyers will build your claim, support it with evidence, and fight for the settlement you deserve. For more information, call us at (213) 596-9642 or use our website contact form for validation and get a free consultation today!
Michael Ehline
Michael is a managing partner at the nationwide Ehline Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC. He’s an inactive Marine and became a lawyer in the California State Bar Law Office Study Program, later receiving his J.D. from UWLA School of Law. Michael has won some of the world’s largest motorcycle accident settlements.