Insurance Dispute Lawyer

When a loved one dies, families are often unaware that life insurance benefits even exist—let alone where the actual policy is located. This can be a serious problem, because many policies have very strict time limits within which to submit claims. In many cases, insurance companies try to avoid paying out life insurance benefits owed to beneficiaries. Too many Americans are unfairly denied the life insurance benefits to which they are entitled–even if it is due to negligence on the insurance company’s behalf.

One standard technique used by insurance companies to deny policy benefits involves failing to notify a beneficiary that a deceased loved one had a life insurance policy. In most cases, the insurance companies are aware that a policy-holder has passed away but fail to notify beneficiaries—ignoring evidence in their files and avoiding a major payout.

If a beneficiary never comes forward to request benefits, the insurance company will cancel the policy after an allotted time and keep the profits for themselves. This intentional negligence could impact millions of life insurance policies throughout the United States.

Insurance policies are complex. Most insurance benefits have significant filing requirements. It is generally up to you to make the claim – no one at the insurance company is going to tell you where to look to collect on your claim.

If you’ve been injured or experienced the death of a loved one, there may be an insurance policy that promised to protect you and your family. But, you must first identify and understand the coverage available to you and meet many strict requirements and jump difficult legal hurdles.

If you’ve had a loss to your property, or a business loss or dispute, an insurance policy may exist to protect you from further harm. But again, you must be able to identify what insurance exists and how you may be protected.

In almost every case, when you need insurance the most is when you are most vulnerable – when you’ve experienced a loss. At that moment, an insurance company is rarely on your side. Insurance companies do not always keep their promises the way we were taught. If you’ve experienced a personal or business loss, rest assured that at Daggett Shuler, you can depend on us to make sure that a promise made is a promise kept.

Most employer-sponsored plans have specific procedures that must be followed in order to file a claim for long-term disability benefits. Once a claim is filed, and then the claims administrator, which is usually an insurance company, has a certain amount of time to investigate and make a decision on the claim. If the claim is denied, then an individual usually has the right to challenge the decision through an administrative appeal. An individual’s rights and the procedures that must be followed for the appeal are specified in the ERISA statute and the benefit plan. If an individual’s claim is ultimately denied through the available administrative appeals, then the only recourse is to file a lawsuit under the ERISA statute.

Most individuals are able to file a claim for disability benefits without the help or assistance of a long-term disability attorney in North Carolina. Frequently, personnel from the employer’s human resources or benefits department can help an employee get the process started by filing a claim. However, if the claim is denied, then an individual should seek the advice and counsel of a long-term disability lawyer. This is because the administrative appeal process is fraught with traps and pitfalls. The single most important pitfall is the failure to develop the administrative record during the appeal process. If this happens, then a case can be irreparably harmed for future litigation. This is because the administrative record is generally the only evidence a reviewing court will consider and the record is closed at the end of the administrative appeal process. Consequently, a claim has to be prepared for litigation during the administrative appeal process.

Here are true stories from Daggett Shuler clients who faced life insurance claim denials. Once Daggett Shuler got involved, we were successful in securing the full benefits for these life insurance policy beneficiaries.

Denied Employee Life Insurance Benefits

Our client—a business executive—received life insurance coverage as an employee benefit. When he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he attempted to collect on the policy’s accelerated death benefit but was denied by the insurance company. The life insurance claim lawyers at Daggett Shuler were able to successfully able to overcome the denial and obtain the full amount of the life insurance coverage for our client. This allowed him the comfort of getting all his affairs in order early—so his family could avoid sorting things out later. He very much appreciated the comfort provided.

Life Annuity Benefits Lost

Our client’s father thought he purchased a life annuity that would pay benefits to his children upon his death. Unfortunately, the financial institution/insurance company that was supposed to issue the annuity failed to put necessary provisions in place. Upon his death, all potential annuity benefits were lost. The life insurance claim attorneys at Daggett Shuler were able to enforce the terms of the annuity and recover the full amount of the life benefits payable to our client—as well as his brothers and sisters. Our clients would have received no benefits without our help, knowledge, experience, and intervention.

Life Insurance Benefits Denial Based on Accidental Death

Our client’s wife went to her doctor for a preventive screening procedure. During the procedure, she sustained an injury and subsequently died. Our client made a life insurance claim on a policy he and his wife had purchased many years earlier. That claim was denied based on an exclusion for accidental death. The life insurance claim attorneys at Daggett Shuler successfully overcame the denial—securing payment of full life insurance benefits for our client.

Life Insurance Claim Denial on a Technicality

When our client started her new job, she enrolled herself and her husband in the company’s life insurance program. When her husband passed away a short time later, the company denied her claim for life insurance benefits based on an administrative technicality. The Life Insurance Lawyers at Daggett Shuler were able to overcome the denial and collect the life insurance benefits she had purchased.

If you are the beneficiary of a life insurance policy and your claim was denied, let us support you during this difficult time. Our award-winning life insurance benefits lawyers can give you the peace of mind you need—with the legal guidance that is required to secure the life insurance benefits you deserve.