Life insurance is an excellent option to provide a security for your family. The cash payout is used for paying off any debt (like student or mortgage loans) as well as to fund funerals or even to provide an inheritance.

Although life insurance may offer peace of mind you may be wondering how often life insurance claims are denied and leave the beneficiaries with nothing. It’s a horrible notion, but nothing that you need to worry about. This is because a small percentage of life insurance claims actually get rejected.

“Life insurers cover the majority of claims,” says Whit Cornman as spokeswoman for the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) which is an industry-related group. Cornman says the fact that less than 0.5 percent in claims (measured by the face value of the policy) could be disputed as of the end of year 2019.

The odds of the denial of a life insurance claim are low but you must still be aware of things that could result in a claim being denied on disputed territory.

Failure to divulge a medical Condition or other pertinent information

If you are applying for an insurance policy for life you must declare any medical conditions or other risk factors for example, dangerous activities (like jumping off of a skydiver). If you don’t provide exact details during the process of applying and the insurance claim might be denied in the future. It’s because your the life expectation (called mortality in the insurance industry) is the base to determine the class of life insurance underwriting. Medical conditions are a major factor which determine the rates.

Inability to disclose relevant details in the application process for life insurance is regarded as an “material error.” This refers to the use of a misleading or false declaration, or absence of relevant details. A materially incorrect statement affects the insurer’s ability to offer exact rates. In some instances, a misrepresentation implies that an application has been approved , even though it would be refused.

Here are a few examples of information that you must typically provide in the application for life insurance:

* Medical background. The information includes health issues and mental health issues prescription history, and the family health history (parents as well as siblings).

* Risky hobbies. This includes things like mountain climbing, racing in cars and skydiving.

* Risky behaviors. This includes using tobacco, criminal record records and risky driving behavior like DUI convictions, or other traffic offenses.

* Hazardous jobs. Construction workers as well as active military personnel, police officers, firefighters and pilots could face higher rates for life insurance.

Life insurance policies come with what’s known as an “contestability period” that is usually two years in which the insurance company is able to contest or challenge the validity of a claim. The two-year time frame begins with the date of issue in the document.

The insurance company may ask for medical records or other documents to assess their authenticity for evidence of significant misrepresentation in your life insurance claim.

If your insurance company finds any evidence of materially false representation, the policy may be cancelled and your beneficiary will not be eligible for the death benefit.

Insurance companies have a variety of methods to confirm the information you submit when filling out an application.

Life Insurance Premiums were Not Payed

In certain cases, beneficiaries may attempt to claim and not realize that you did not pay your insurance premiums prior to the time of your death.

If you’re in the process of falling in debt on your life insurance premiums You may be able to make amends depending on how ahead you’re. The majority of life insurance policies offer 30 or 31 days of grace period following that date. It is possible to pay the balance without incurring interest. If you die during your grace time, the beneficiary will still receive an inheritance, but less the past due premium.

Click here for help with a declined life insurance claim.

If your policy has expired because of non-payment, you may be able reinstate the life insurance that has expired by paying the past due premium plus interest. The requirements for reinstating the policy can differ based on the state and company. For instance in Texas life insurance, the majority of companies will allow you to renew the policy after a five-year period, but you will need to answer additional health questions or pass another medical exam for your life insurance.

The risk of not living out a term life insurance policy

If you’re a holder of an insurance policy that is term, then you may possibly outlive the policy’s duration which means there will not be a death benefit payout.

If you require a longer period of protection, your policy may permit renewal (at the higher cost) after you reach the end of your time. It is also possible to change a term life insurance policy to a life insurance policy however there is a period to do this. You should be aware of the deadline for your policy if you’re considering converting it.

A Suicide Death

Life insurance policies typically include a “suicide clause” usually lasting for two years. If a suicide happens within this period the insurance company is typically not pay out. Instead, they will pay any premiums paid to the person who was insured.

Making an Life Insurance Claim

In order to ensure a smooth claim process, you must inform your beneficiaries of the location where your insurance policies for life are according to Cornman of the ACLI.

Cornman suggests keeping the policy along with other financial documents, legal documents or wherever your beneficiaries could check if they have to make an insurance claim. Cornman says that you must keep the name of your life insurance agent and contact details readily available.

If you’re a beneficiary, learn how to file an insurance claim.

When a life insurance claim gets not approved the beneficiaries must request an official denial of claim in writing. If they wish to contest this decision they must have the documents and evidence to back the claim. If they are unable to solve the dispute with the insurance company and the state department of insurance, they can seek out the state’s department of insurance for more advice.