Knowing that your loved one had life insurance can take some of the burden and stress of their death off your shoulders. However, when a life insurance company refuses to pay out the policy as you’d anticipated, you may feel even more overwhelmed. An experienced Texas life insurance claims lawyer can help.
Life insurance companies have a duty to uphold the terms in their policies. Especially given the circumstances of a life insurance claim, they should not make claimants jump through unnecessary hoops to seek the funds indicated in the policy. It is also especially egregious behavior to deny life insurance claims in bad faith, and we sue insurance companies that seek to avoid honoring valid claims.
If you are dealing with a life insurance company that refuses to pay out your loved one’s policy, we can help. Our life insurance attorney team can appeal this claim denial on your behalf, giving you time and space to grieve and address the areas of your life impacted by the loss of your loved one.
When a life insurance company denies beneficiaries their benefits, it usually states a reason — even if this reason is unfounded. Here are a few reasons your insurer may state when it denies claims for a life insurance policy’s death benefits:
Schedule a free strategy session with our experienced legal team if your life insurance policy claim has been denied in Houston, TX.
Receiving a claim denial letter from your life insurance company can be disheartening. The first step you should take if your claim is denied is to contact a skilled attorney.
You can schedule a free strategy session with your attorney to review your case details. After reviewing your policy and gathering additional information to further support your claim, they can appeal your claim denial.
Your attorney will gather evidence to support your life insurance claim and show that the denial was unwarranted. After appealing the claim, they will wait for a response from the insurance company.
If the insurer denies your life insurance benefits a second time, you may need to initiate a lawsuit. It is possible your insurer may have failed to properly investigate your claim within a reasonable time, or perhaps they wrongfully denied your claim on a false basis. Sometimes an insurance company misrepresents the terms of a policy when it is sold, creating a false sense of security regarding levels of coverage. These are all grounds for a bad faith insurance lawsuit.
Your attorney can help you determine whether the insurance company acted in bad faith. If so, they can help you file a lawsuit, gather additional evidence to support your case, and represent you in court.
In Texas, new life insurance policies have a two-year contestable period. This means that insurance companies have two years after the policy begins to evaluate it to determine whether the information the policyholder provided is valid.
If the insured dies within this two-year period, the insurance company may decide to deny payment. If the policy lapses and is then reinstated, then the 2-year contestable period starts over.
After a person has held a life insurance policy for at least two years, the company will be required to pay the death benefit regardless of the cause of death. Your experienced Texas life insurance lawyers can help you understand this contestable period in relation to your own life insurance dispute.
If your insurer does not honor your claim after you have appealed and you sue them for bad faith denial of your claim, the amount you can seek will depend on the specific details of your case and the value of the life insurance policy. You and your lawyer can discuss the damages you will seek before filing the lawsuit.
When pursuing a bad faith lawsuit, you can seek additional types of compensation in addition to the value of the policy. You may be able to seek three times the amount the insurer should have paid on the policy if you can prove they intentionally and knowingly denied your claim on false grounds.
Additional compensation you could seek may also include other statutory penalties, punitive damages, interest, and attorneys’ fees. Discuss the details of your case with our experienced Texas life insurance claims legal team in a free strategy session to determine your next steps.
Working with an experienced life insurance claim lawyer can help you to strategically seek fair and appropriate compensation for a valid claim. Here are a few of the services your attorney can provide:
Contact our life insurance claims lawyer team at McLaurin Law today to schedule your free strategy session.
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Typically, the answer to this is absolutely not. Insurance companies are looking out for their own best interests and will try to get you to settle for an offer that is far below what you deserve. At McLaurin Law, we can help you seek an appropriate settlement.
After an accident, you should typically file a claim with the insurance provider of the negligent party who is responsible for your accident. It is important that you move with haste in filing a personal injury claim with the insurance carrier after an injury has occurred. Should a lawsuit eventually become necessary, it is also important to keep in mind that in the state of Texas, you must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the date the injury occurred.
Your number one priority should be your well-being. Seek out medical advice as soon as possible to ensure that you get the treatment you need. You should also move quickly to consult with an attorney to assist you with your personal injury claim. Critical events occur early in the personal injury claims process—such as interviews with adjusters and early damages assessments—so do not delay speaking with an attorney.
Browse our growing library of multimedia educational content to better understand the rules and processes involved in your Texas injury case or insurance claim. Review the items relevant to your issue, and let us know your questions.
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We respect your privacy. The information you provide will be used to answer your question or to schedule an appointment if requested.
Office Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Available by Phone: 24/7
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