Philadelphia Life Insurance Denial Lawyer
Life Insurance Claim Lawyer Serving Clients in Philadelphia with Denied or Delayed Claims
Whether you recently purchased life insurance or are seeking benefits from a loved one’s life insurance policy, it can be extremely frustrating to worry about a potential claim denial or to have learned recently that you claim has been denied. In many cases, the beneficiaries of a life insurance policy do not receive a flat-out claim denial, but they can experience significant delays. Sometimes insurance companies use delaying tactics as a way of avoiding a claim payout.
You might be wondering: it should be extremely difficult to deny a life insurance claim when there is evidence of the beneficiary’s death, correct? However, there are numerous ways that an insurance company can delay or deny claims, and it is important to learn more about how you can contest a denial or a delay. In certain cases such denials or delays can constitute fraud or bad faith. A Philadelphia life insurance denial lawyer can get started on your case today.
Why Do Life Insurance Claims Get Denied in Philadelphia?
What are some of the most common reasons that insurance claims are denied in Philadelphia? According to an article in BankRate, there are a number of frequent causes that insurance companies give when they deny life insurance benefits. However, as that article underscores, the Center for Insurance Research believes that many of these claims are unfair. That nonprofit consumer advocacy organization lists some of the following as the most common reasons insurance claims are denied, which may be unfair and illegal:
- Insured failed to pay premiums on time: according to a spokesperson for the American Council of Life Insurers, “the main reason a company will deny a death benefit is because coverage is not in force on an individual upon which the claim is made.” While sometimes people do fail to pay premiums, which results in lapsed coverage, this is not always the case. When you make payments on your life insurance policy, it is extremely important to keep detailed records of each and every payment. In the event the insurance company argues that the coverage lapsed, you can show proof that the insurer’s allegations are false.
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Insured made a material misrepresentation on the life insurance application: insurance companies sometimes argue that there was a “material misrepresentation” on the insurance application, and thus the coverage is no good. What is a material misrepresentation? Typically, it has to be something pretty major, such as the insured lying about her health history or her age. Keep in mind, however, that most insurance companies cannot simply cancel a policy because of certain material misrepresentations, but instead must simply assess the additional premiums to the payout.
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Insured’s death was outside coverage scope: many life insurance policies contain exclusions. In the event of one of these exclusions—such as suicide or certain types of accidental deaths—there will be no payout. However, it is important to read the language of your policy carefully and to speak with a Philadelphia life insurance lawyer.
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Missing documentation: while it might seem counterintuitive, it is not always sufficient to provide a life insurance company with a death certificate in order to begin the process of payout for the benefit amount. There are many paperwork requirements that come with life insurance policies, and if even one is missing, the insurer might try to delay or deny payment. You can avoid this by seeking help from an experienced Philadelphia life insurance attorney.
What to Do When Your Claim Is Denied
You’ve made the wise decision to take care of your family’s future and provide for your loved ones when you’re gone, but how do you make sure life insurance companies keep their end of the deal? They’ve signed a contract that binds, yet time and time again, insurance companies look for any excuse to deny your benefits, claiming material misrepresentation or through other bad faith insurance practices. Insurance companies make their profit by charging you painfully high premiums and then may often deny your claim when you need it most. Contact our Philadelphia life insurance denial lawyer today, we can help.
Stop the Cycle
Once we take on your case, our experienced team at ConsumerLawPa.com is prepared to aggressively pursue your denied or delayed claim, working hard to lay out your entire case and give you the best possible legal counsel.
It is ideal to ask the following questions when your claim is denied:
- Was the original application confusing or misleading?
- How much time do I have to appeal the denial?
- What is “bad faith” and does my situation apply?
Get answers to these questions and more by calling us at 215-790-1800 today.
