Palatine Life Insurance Lawyer

Schaumburg Life Insurance Attorney for Denied Claims or Payout Issues

Life insurance can provide essential benefits for family members and ensure that they will not be placed in a difficult financial position due to a loved one's death. Spouses will often maintain life insurance policies on each other, or a policy may ensure that children will have the necessary financial resources in the event of a parent's death. Unfortunately, there are many cases where family members struggle to receive the proper benefits through a life insurance company. When an insurance company denies a life insurance claim or fails to pay out the amount required, an experienced lawyer can help a family determine their legal options.

Drost Gilbert Andrew & Apicella offers legal help and representation to address multiple issues related to insurance policies and coverage. Attorney Ken Apicella understands the complex issues that may play a role in insurance claims, and he is dedicated to helping his clients receive the coverage they need and deserve. If you need to make a life insurance claim following a loved one's death, if an insurance company has denied benefits, or if you need to address any other insurance-related disputes, Mr. Apicella can make sure you take the right steps to protect your financial interests.

Reasons for the Denial of a Life Insurance Claim

Insurance companies will be looking to maximize their profits. Since the payout of a life insurance policy will result in losses, a company may attempt to minimize the amount that is paid, or it may refuse to pay a claim altogether. In many cases, life insurance claims are denied for illegitimate reasons, and policyholders will need to understand how they can address these types of denials and ensure that they receive the correct benefits.

The most common reasons why life insurance claims are denied are related to material misrepresentations. An insurance company will review the information provided on a life insurance application and determine whether there are any discrepancies, details that were omitted, or other issues that may allow them to deny coverage. These misrepresentations may involve the omission of information about a person's health conditions or other issues that may affect coverage, such as chronic health conditions or unhealthy habits. However, a material misrepresentation should only affect a claim if it would have impacted the company's decision to provide coverage in the first place.

Other reasons why a life insurance claim may be denied or why an insurance company may attempt to minimize coverage include:

• Cause of death - An insurance company may claim that exclusions in a policy applied to the circumstances surrounding a person's death. Death by suicide usually will not be covered within the first two years of a policy. Coverage may also be denied if a person was killed while participating in high-risk activities, if a death was related to an act of war, or if the insured died while committing a crime.
• Lapse of policy - An insurance company may claim that a policy was not in force because there were one or more unpaid premiums. However, a policyholder must be given a 30 day grace period before the cancellation of a policy due to unpaid premiums, and if missed payments are made up, the policy may be renewed. The denial of a life insurance claim because a policy was not in force at the time of death may be challenged based on a company's failure to meet the conditions for canceling the policy.
• Location - A life insurance claim may be denied on the basis that the insured was not living in the United States at the time of their death. This type of denial may be challenged by showing that a person maintained a residence in the U.S. or that they were outside the country temporarily.

Contact Our Arlington Heights Life Insurance Claim Attorney

If you had a valid life insurance policy that provided you with coverage in the event of a loved one's death, you deserve to receive benefits. Our firm can help you address the denial of a claim by an insurance company, and we will work to make sure you receive the full benefits you deserve. Contact us today at 847-654-9956 to set up a free consultation.