Disability & Life Insurance and ERISA Attorneys
Doing What’s Right For Greater Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region
Disability & Life Insurance and ERISA Attorneys
Doing What’s Right For Greater Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region

Life Insurance Claim Denials: When to Fight Back (Pt. 1)

On Behalf of | Aug 15, 2014 | Life Insurance

While your loved one may have taken out a life insurance policy to provide some financial support to you and your family in the tragic event of his or her death, what may compound your stresses after the loss of your loved one can be the denial of a life insurance claim. In fact, although insurers may present themselves as being on your side when you or your loved one has purchased a life insurance policy, when it comes time to make a claim against this policy, you can find yourself:

  • Fighting for the payouts you deserve
  • Being offered payouts that may be far less than what you expect or what you may be entitled to
  • Being denied the compensation you are counting on.

In this three-part blog, we will highlight some of the specific circumstances that often give rise to insurers issuing life insurance claim denials. If your life insurance claim was recently denied, don’t hesitate to contact Denver Life Insurance Attorney Shawn McDermott for professional advice regarding your options, your rights and your case.

When Life Insurance Claim Denials Are Most Likely to Occur…

1. When there may be mistakes on life insurance applications

Any mistake or misrepresentation made on a life insurance application mayend up being used by insurance companies down the line to try to deny a claim against a policy. In fact, even if your statements on the policy were intended to be forthright and honest, if you misunderstood some question and provided erroneous or incomplete information, this can be seen as a “material misrepresentation,” which may be used against you.

If this is the reason that insurers provide when denying your life insurance claim, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Was any part of the application that you (or your loved one) completed ambiguous or confusing? – If so, this can be grounds for appealing a life insurance claim denial.
  • Could another reasonable person have misinterpreted the same statement or question? – Again, if so, this can be another point of appealing life insurance claim denials.
  • Was the erroneous or incomplete information actually material to the life insurance claim? – If not, then it’s likely irrelevant and shouldn’t be considered a “material misrepresentation.”
  • Were you misled by an agent selling you a policy? – If so, this may also be an effective counterargument to life insurance claim denials.

For our continued discussion of life insurance claim denials, make sure you check out the upcoming second and third parts of this blog.

Denver, Colorado Life Insurance Lawyers at McDermott Law, LLC

Has your life insurance claim recently been denied? If so, you will need an aggressive, experienced attorney who will fight for your rights and help you obtain the full amount of the payouts you need and deserve.

With more than 30 years of combined legal experience, the Denver life insurance lawyers at McDermott Law, LLC have been dedicated to helping people stand up to insurance companies and ultimately secure the maximum possible compensation to which they are entitled.

Contact Us Today

For more information about your case and your best options for moving forward, set up a complimentary consult with our lawyers today by calling us at
720-773-5045 or by emailing us using the contact form on this screen.

From our offices based in Denver, we provide superior legal service to people throughout Colorado.