If you’re the beneficiary of a loved one’s life insurance policy, it tells you that the policyholder was invested in your ongoing well-being and wanted to contribute to your financial future. In other words, they chose to honor your relationship in this way, and if you face a claim denial after your relative passes, it can make a difficult time that much more so. Reach out for the skilled legal guidance of an experienced  San Francisco life insurance claims attorney today. 

The Role of Life Insurance

We turn to life insurance for the peace of mind it provides. Life insurance helps to ensure that the beneficiaries we name will receive the policy amount upon our passing, which can help them on the journey forward. In other words, life insurance can play an important role in estate planning, but if your beneficiary faces a claim denial when the time comes, it can be exceptionally challenging. 

The Law

California has important laws in place that are designed to protect both life insurance companies and policyholders. To begin, there is what is known as a contestability period, which is the two years that follow the policy’s implementation. During this stretch of time, the insurance company has the right to identify misrepresentation on the policyholder’s part, which can lead to the policy being denied or voided. The most common forms of misrepresentation include:

• Basic errors related to filling out the long, complicated application
• Oversight on the part of the person filling out the application
• Fraudulence on the part of the person filling out the application, which means attempting to purposefully cheat the insurance company

It’s important to note that while the insurance company is limited to two years for identifying misrepresentation that is caused by error or oversight, there is no time limit on denials related to fraudulent practices. 

The law also affords policyholders protections that include:

• There is a look-back period of 10 days from signing that allows you to cancel a policy with no financial repercussions.
• You have 30 days before your life insurance premium is officially considered past due, and claims can be denied. The best practice, however, is always making your premium payments on time. 

The Reality of Life Insurance Forms

The truth is that filling out life insurance applications is challenging for even the most careful among us. The instructions tend to be clunky, and by the time you reach the end, it’s not uncommon to have made a mistake or two. The kinds of errors that are likely to ultimately make a difference include those related to the policyholder’s age, the policyholder’s medical history, and the policyholder’s identity.

An Experienced San Francisco Life Insurance Claims Attorney Is Standing by to Help

The focused San Francisco Life Insurance Claims attorneys at Roberts Disability Law, P.C., have a wealth of impressive experience helping clients like you resolve life insurance claims concerns, and we’re here for you, too. Learn more by contacting us today.