If you took the time to research life insurance companies and incurred the expense of paying for a policy, you probably expect your coverage to function as an investment and/or tool for financial security. While this expectation is reasonable given that the agent probably pitched the policy as offering these benefits, many beneficiaries of life insurance policies are denied the proceeds of the policy. While not every denial of benefits under a life insurance policy is unjustified, denials are so common that you should not assume that your insurer is correct if you receive a denial letter.
Although policyholders and beneficiaries should hope that a lawsuit against the insurance company will not be necessary, a beneficiary should take certain precautions during the claims process in case a lawsuit becomes necessary.
These precautions include:
- Gather and Safeguard Relevant Documents: All documents pertaining to your denied life insurance claim should be saved. Documents like denial letters, a copy of the insurance policy, and any prior or subsequent correspondence and communications with the insurance carrier are essential to challenging the denial. If you later decide to talk to a life insurance claims attorney, you should bring all of this documentation to the consultation.
- Defer a Recorded Statement Until You Have Retained a Life Insurance Claims Lawyer: If the insurer requests a recorded statement with anyone in your family, you should politely defer participation and consult with an attorney prior to any meeting. Any further discussions regarding a statement should be left to your lawyer.
- Take Advantage of a Free Consultation: Many life insurance beneficiaries are hesitant to schedule an appointment with an attorney because of concerns about the cost. However, our law firm offers a free and confidential consultation to beneficiaries involved in claims disputes. If you decide to retain our law firm to challenge your insurance company, we will usually represent beneficiaries on a contingency fee basis, so our attorney fees come out of any financial recovery. The decision to retain an experienced life insurance claims lawyer from the beginning of your insurance claims dispute will mean that you have a knowledgeable and experienced advocate to help you strengthen your factual and legal position, balance the playing field against the insurer’s attorneys, and guide your through pitfalls that can result in the loss of certain rights.
- Pay Attention to Unexplained Delays: Beneficiaries should continue to follow up on a pending claim. If the insurance company fails to handle your claim in a timely fashion or engages in delays without a reasonable justification, this might constitute a basis for an insurance bad faith lawsuit.
You can reach Miami Insurance Claims Lawyer J.P. Gonzalez-Sirgo by dialing his direct number at (786) 272-5841, calling the main office at (305) 461-1095, or Toll Free at 1 (866) 71-CLAIM or email Attorney Gonzalez-Sirgo directly at [email protected].
